EDUCATION — A PLEA FOR THE CATHOLICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 259, 1 November 1893, Page 5

EDUCATION — A PLEA FOR THE CATHOLICS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I intend to treat this mattor from a purely business standpoint, viz., £ s. d. Ib ia estimated that 13,330 children attend the Cabholic schools of the colony. It cost the colony last year for primary education per head £4 16s Bid. Now, if these 13,330 Catholic children (with those now in the State schools) were thrust into the State schools, the cost per bead annually would amounb to something under £6, this irrespective of the then necessary outlay for further school accommodation, which would be likely to cosb £130,000, and if we add the cost at the rate per head now paid for those in the State Schools towards educating the 13,330 Catholic children, it will come to £64,500, or in the aggregate,. £194,500. The Catholics thus have caved the State from this greab outlay. "Bub," exclaims my captious critic, "we don't ask you to do it. You are welcome to send your 13,000 to the State schools." The State school accommodation is now inadequate, the lasb Governmenb reporb on education bearing thia out. Parliamentary press reports stated that the amount sought for by various Boards for building purposes, is no lees than £151,112. \\here, then, have you the accommodation 1 The increase of 2,012 children in the primary schools laßb ' year required the building of 47 new i schools, and the employment of 121 addi-1 tional teachers. If 2,000 children cause the i erection of 47 schools, how many would' 13,330 require ? Are not the Catholics then, in view of tbeee figures, entitled to somo consideration ? Speaking on education at Mount Eden on last Thursday afternoon, Sir George Grey evidently had the Catholics in view when he said, " there mighb be some kind of injustice which waß, perhaps, somewhat exaggerated, yeb required amendment." The Catholics, who, ib is well known, are the least opulent body in bhe Stato, have, week after week, ocular demonstrations of thia "somo kind of injustice," and that it is not "somewhatexaggerated " bheir nob overflowing purses can bear testimony, and the speedier comes along the " required amendmenb," the bebter ib will be for bhe Catholics.—l am, etc., Proletariat. Auckland, October 30bh, 1893.