WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1893.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 253, 25 October 1893, Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1893.

The Roman Catholic hierarchy have raised the cry of State aid to Catholic Schools as the battle cry of the pend" ing elections. So far as their own denomination is concerned, we do not doubt that the manifestos issued by the Bishops will have very great weight; it is right that the utterances of men holding such positions in the community should be considered with attention and respect. Although Bishop Luck, in his address, flings wildly against the press a charge of insincerity—which, all things considered, is a very foolish charge, for the press have nothing to gain or lose oneway or the other over the question — we are not disposed to resort to a tv quoquo mode of retort. We have no doubt that the Bishops are perfectly sincere. They live very much in seclusion from the mass of mankind, and know little or nothing of the pulsations of its mighty heart Bishop Luck frankly confesses his own unfitness to become a leader to bis people in politics, and it is through no disrespect towards himself or his sacred office that so many Catholics decline to be led in their relations towards the State and Civil authorities by the counsellors and directors to whose judgment they bow unhesitatingly in spiritual matters. It is no reflection upon the Bishops, and may indeed be regarded in one sense as a compliment, to say that many of the humbler members of their flock know very much more than they do. about political affairs. If Bishop Moran had known more he would never have inveighed in such unmeasured terms against the efforts of the workers in the community to benefit their social condition, nor would he have urged his flock to separate themselves entirely from the other six-sevenths of the people among whom they live and set up a wall of religious exclusiveness around them as electors. From past experience, we are absolutely certain that the male portion of the laity will not do anything of the kind. With the women, who have only just received the franchise, and who, therefore, cannot as yet be expected to have so full a grasp of the many important questions involved in the term politics, it is not improbable that the voice of the Church with reference to the disposal of their votes will be much more potential. This fact should, of course, tend to arouse friends of the present national school system to the necessity of being constantly on the alert.

In another part of to-day's issue we print a very long letter from a writer over the signature " Historicus," who speaks with authority upon f.he subject of Catholic claims. We publish this letter in full, as W9 gave two other communications from the same pen, on the principle of giving both sides a fair hearing. In reference to the writer's comments upon the very brief footnote appended to his last letter, however, we may be permitted to remark that he does not throw much additional light upon the question. We never disputed that State grants were made to denominational schools in England. The points in our correspondent's former letters which we challenged were :— (1) That the Liberals in England as a body were favourable to such grants, (2) that the voluntary schools in England were placed on the same footing financially as Board schools under public management, and (3) that the denominationalists here would be satisfied with the same treatment as is meted out to denominational schools in England.

While evading these points as far as possible, and obscuring them by a cloud of words, our correspondent is now compelled to admit the accuracy of our statements ; he, however, artfully shifts his ground. The authority of Matthew Arnold on questions of fact bearing upon educational matters we acknowledge—there is no higher authority in England ; but it should not have escaped the attention of "Historicus," when quoting from Mr Arnold's works, that he says : —" Most English Liberals seem persuaded that the elementary schools should be undenominational and their teaching secular, and that with a public elementary school it cannot well be otherwise." So much for point i ; the fact is, as we said before, that the subsidising of voluntary schools in England was" an almost unavoidable result of the condition of education when the Act of 1870 came into opera tion. Now for point 2 : " Historicus " admit* our remarks witfc

regard to the exclusion of Voluntary Schools from all participation in the revenue raised by the education rates. 3. In his last letter, "Historicus" stated: "There is no contention on the part of Catholics in this colony that they should be treated in any other manner than their coreligionists are in England." Now, he confesses that Catholics in England are dissatisfied with what he terms •'the one-sided enactment contained in the Act conferring special advantages on the rated schools." In other words, it is the same story in England as here, " Give, give!"

We do not know what authority " Historicus" has for stating the cost of education in English voluntary schools to be £1 163 4d and Board schools £2 43 Bd. The latest statistics published by the English Department of Education (1890) return the cost at £2 4s 6j4d for voluntary schools and £2 6s for Board schools, per head.

Our correspondent places the demand of the denominationalists in a nutshell when he declares that the Catholic claim will require a year to satisfy—that is to say that this sum is to be handed over to the four Roman Catholic Bishops to be spent as they please, so long as they admit a public inspector into their schools. As the Church of England is numerically three times as strong as the Roman Catholic community and the Anglican Bishops also advocate denominational grants, we suppose another worth of patronage should be piaced at their disposal. It is not likely that other denominations would see their neighbours enjoying all these good things without asking for a share; and so, if denominational grants were sanctioned, within a few years we should find at least a-quarter of a million sterling of public revenue being handed over for expenditure by private persons for the purpose of dividing the rising generation into rival sectarian camps. We shall be very much astonished if the democracy in New Zealand sanction any such retrograde movement. Every colony in Australasia, alter trial, has abandoned the denominational school system and all other forms of Church endowment by the State. Least of all, we imagine, is New Zealand likely to give up now its splendid system of national schools. We have not to go beyond the boundaries of this colony, or even of this Provincial District, to find examples of the flagrant abuses which arise where public property is handed over for sectarian administration. All denominations are pretty much alike in this respect. It is inevitable that such grants will be used for purposes which are purely sectarian. In England, the scandals are now so notorious — schoolmasters, paid with public money, being appointed solely with a view to their qualifications as parish clerks, organists, and so forth, and being subjected to all sorts of clerical tyranny —that there, as in the colonies, it is regarded as inevitable by Liberals that the State must soon assume direct control over the expenditure of its own funds. Denominalionalism supported by the State is a dying cause. In the United States the demand for denominational grants is considered so hopeless that it has almost ceased to be made.

We are by no means oblivious to the importance of sound religious teaching. But when we look over the city landscape and see Church spires rising in every direction, when we contemplate the vast Church organisations, the amount of money voluntarily given for religious objects, we cannot suppress a feeling of surprise that those who are at the head of these institutions should make confession of their inefficiency. But if they be inefficient, would it not be more sensible to alter their form than to appeal for Slate intervention and assistance. If the State must become the teacher of religion, it can only do so in one of three ways—either by Parliament dictating the form of religion which shall be taught, which would be tyrannical ', or by the Churches agreeing to some non-sec-tarian primer for use in public schools ; or by facilities being provided, if necessary during school hours, as is done in many schools in Scotland, for the clergymen of various denominations to come in on certain days of the week and give religious instruction to the children whose parents desire them to attend.

The argument that one section of the community contribute so much to the revenue and, therefore, are entitled to receive so much back, although specious at first glance, will not bear examination. In the first place, it is by no means certain that, although constituting nearly a seventh of the community, the Roman Catholics do contribute a seventh of the revenue. If they do not, and a seventh were paid to them, then members of other denominations would be taxed to teach a creed which they strongly disapprove of. Then, if we assume that they do contribute a seventh, we should require to know what proportion they get back in the form of State services of various kinds—a balance-sheet would have to be struck in order to assess the exact proportions which would properly fall to them for expenditure on education; this is of course impossible. But if it were possible to do it, we should still be faced by the -basis principle that the administration of public money must be in the hands of a representative public body. We see no more reason why the various Churches should not'ask for the right to spend their share of the postal revenue, or the money raised for any other department of Government, than to lay claim to a division among ecclesiastics of the money appropriated by

the State to the purely secular function of teaching the children of the colony reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Captain Edwin telegraphed from Wellington, ao 11.40 a.m. t the following weather forecast: " North to east and south-east gala after 16 hours from now, with rain. Indications for high tides.'!

Ab the Resident Magistrate's Court at Wellington yesterday, two old men were charged with having stolen clothing belonging to the Benevolent Trustees The men had been in the Benevolent Home, but were dismissed because they refused to work. They took away with them suits of uniform, and refused to give them up. They' accused the master of the Home of cruelty towards the inmates, and also of drunkenness, but both these charges were denied by the master. Eventually counsel for the accused undertook that the clothes ehould be returned. The magistrate recorded a conviction, and discharged the prisoners, advising the trustees to recommend old men in tho Home to conform to the rules of the institution, or else vacate the place. Later on in the day the Benevolent Trustees considered the matter, and agreed to take the two old men back into the Home, if they promised to work and to behave themselves. They also undertook to hold an inquiry into the management of the Home, if the old men demanded it.

Mr Ellis Sayers, writing in reply to the letter of Messrs Vaile and Sons, saya his remarks at the auction were not correctly reported. He did not say that he had a deed from the owner but that he had paid the whole of the purcha*e money, and the owner had signed a deed, which however was never delivered to him, the purchase money, although paid to Mr E. Cooper, not having reached the vendor of the property.

The report of the Foreman of Works thab the Fishmarket near the Railway Wharf had been converted into a stable, and that four holes had been made in the floor through which refuse might be swept into the harbour, caused discussion at the mooting' of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday afternoon. Air Crowther said it was contrary to the terms of lease. Mr Porter spoke strongly. He said that, with regard to the tish refuse, the officers of the Board had neglected their duty, that there had not been a prosecution if they knew the practice of putting it into the harbour was going on. If they did nab, know they were totally unfit for '" their position. The whole of the offal and refuse from the stable could be thrown into the harbour and kept dark. He moved "That immediate steps be taken to carry out the conditions of the lease under which the market was held." Mr Witheford thought they Bhould not blame their officers. The officials of the Board had been in a glorious state of muddle for 20 years ; their duties bad never been defined. The report of the Foreman of Works was referred to the Finance and Legal Committee.

Inspector HickeonJ has received a telegram stating that the body of Constable Hogg, one of the victims of the boating accident at Hokianga, was found floating in the harbour below Ruwene at 2 o'clock this morning by natives. The body was dressed complete, with the exception of his hat, and had an oilskin coab on it. It is stated that the body is very much decomposed. The usual inquest was to be held to-day.

Ngunguru coal is coming into good demand for steam purposes. H.M.s. Tauranga has taken in a quantity of coal from Ngunguru, brought down by the schooner Atalanta. The s.s. Richmond also takes a hundred tons of Ngunguru coal on this trip to the South Sea Islands, having found it? steaming qualities bo satisfactory on her last two trips.

The female electors have before them a very important duty to perform in the coming elections, and to enable them to fulfil this it will be necessary that they make themselves acquainted with the policy of the various candidates, and to do so they must not be content with the reading of the speeches, bub must attend the meetings to which they are specially invited. Sir George Grey will speak in Waite's Hall, Mount Eden, to-morrow, afternoon to the ladies, and we sincerely hope that they will show to the public that they are not indifferent to the privileges accorded them.

An excellent concert), under the direction of Mr J. H. Phillpot, was given in the Public Hall at Avondale last evening in aid of the funds of the Waikomili Brass Band. Henry's ,band played several excellent selections. Herr Zimmermann contributed two fine violin solos, both of which were encored. Mr H. Tytherleigh sang " True to The Last" (Adams), and " The Anchor's Weighed," very acceptably. Mr A. J. Tapper's sang " The Death of Nelson" (encored), and Mr W. Kelly was very successful in his Bong, " First in the Field " (Bonbeur), for which he received a most emphatic encore. Miss Laing sang "Golden Love" and " When the Flowing Tido Comes In," and Mr W. Levy played a cornet solo. Mrs Wn'eht was successful in her songs, "Tell Me, My Heart," and "Close to the Threshold," with violin obligate, played by Herr Zimmermann. Mr C. Brown and Mr C. White created much amusemonfa with their comic Bongs. Mrs Phillpot and Mies Laing sang a vocal duet, "Peaceful Nights," which was encored. Miss Nellie Phillpot, a little girl eight years of age, was surprisingly successful in her song " There's no one like Mother to Me," and had to respond to an encore. A dance followed the concert, which was altogether an enjoyable one.

Robert Crompton Speer, commercial traveller, of Auckland, has filed a petition with the Official Assignee to be adjudged a bankrupt.

A very successful concert in aid of the Public Hall funds was given by the Clevedon Minstrels in the Papakura Public Hall on the 20th instant. Songs were contributed by Messrs F. Dickens, C. Munro, C. Doble (Cffisar), C. Waterton (Julius), J. Colquhoun (Pompey), Jas. Munro (Bones), and S. E. Fordyce; a sketch, "The Troublesome Servant," Messrs W. T. Hyde and G. E. Noble ; stump speech, Mr R." Atchison. Messrs S. Fordyce, Doble and Munro rendered a trio, and Messrs Fordyce and Fraser performed a long shoe dance. Mr and Miss Mullina contributed piano solos. A laughable farce was acted by Messrs F. Dickens, C. Doble, J. Colquhoun, J. and C. Munro.

There was a large apdience at the Alex-andra-streob Schoolroom last night, to hear a long and varied programme, provided by the mem bora and friends of the Sir Henry Havelock Lodge (N Z.O.G). Mr Lye occupied the chair. The items comprised a piano solo, by Mias Marson ; address by Mr Wilcock ; Bongs and recitations, etc.

Miss Scott has very kindly agreed to repeat her juvenile ball at the Choral Hall at an early date, in aid of the Baillie family, who are left in destitute circumstances. It is also proposed to devote part of the proceeds of Mrs Sowerby's ball, given for the benefit of the Ladies'- Benevolent Society, to the same deserving object.

The complimentary concert tendered by the Choral Society bo Herr Carl Scbmitt, promises to be one of the musical events of the season. The chorus and orchestra are expected to muster in force, and will be heard in some of their best productions. Schubert's fino " Trout " quintette will be reproduced, and vocal items will be contributed by Mrs Hopkins, Mrs Coates, Miss Reeve, Messrs W. Martin and Percy Dufaur. Herr Zimmerman, Horr Tutschka and Mr W. G. Paqne will also assist. The concert will take plao*or Wednesday, Novorabwr Bfcfe.

At the Police Courb to-day, before Mr R. S. Bnsb, R.M., VVm. David Hunter was charged with stealing one razor, one razor strop and one note book, of the total value of 7s, the property of Daniel Mulville. Mr O'Meagher appeared for the prisoner and pleaded guilty. The prisoner was Bentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour. The concert to be given by Mr John Fuller at the City Hall to-night comprises a capital selection of items, and should draw the customary crowded house. Last evening, in the Primitive Methodist Church, Pitb and Edwin streets, a very interesting and thoughtful lecture was delivered by R6V. A. H. Collins entitled "Grace, Urib and Gumption." Rev. J. W. Hay ward preeided, and there was a good attendance. The lacturer was heartily applauded at times during the evening, and at the close of the lecture he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The popular entertainments under Mr Speieht's management will be given ab Panmure to-night, Onebunga tomorrow, and at Otahuhu on Friday. Town prices will be charged ab each place. For next Saturday, a big programme has been arranged. The Baptist Missionary Society hold a meeting at the Tabernacle to-morrow evening, when the Rev. W. J. Williams will deliver an address on "Foreign Missionary Work." The Rev. J. Biaikieia to preside, and the choir will render special selections. Messrs Davis Bros., who have ceased to run the Takapuna 'bus service, wish to thsnk those who have beon their patrons, and intimate that the service has now been taken over by Paterson and Co., whose full time table appears on page 8 of this issue. l^oz woight tropical hats, also Brazilian straws and Panamas at Moore'a, Pitt-street. —(Advt.) Extra value in dress fabrics, 24in, all wool, from 4§d. Also a large special purchase of 120 pieces double width dresses from over-stocked warehouse, B|d to 4s 6d, extraordinary value. Smith and Caughey. (Advt.) Some very novel and pretty depigns in eummar suitings, trouserings and fancy vestiogs, also fancy vest buttons, have juat been received by Geo. Fowldw, Victoria Arcado. Call and see them.—(Advr.) Please note that between now and Xmas tailoring orders will be executed strictly in rotation, therefore place early to avoid disappointment. Superiority in style and fitting guaranteed.—New Zealand Clothing Factory, 158 and 160, Queen street.— tAdvt.) Various novelties in the way of boating, tennis and athletic shirts, hats and eap9, ties, handkerchiefs, etc., are now to be seen at Geo. Fowldo, Victoria Arcade. — (Advt.) All else may fail, bub the "Reliable" Teas packed by Arthur Nathan will not fail to please, because they are always good alike, and no effort ie spared to make them "the best." Money can't buy better.— (Advt.) < 4