CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14583, 6 February 1913, Page 7

CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

TENURE OF SCHOLARSHIPS,

AUCKLAND BOARD'S ACTION

(BPECIA& TO " THE PRESS.")

AUCKLAND, February 5. Tho Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Dr. Cloary, again approached the Auckland Education Board to-day to urge that scholarships offered by the Board should also bo tenablo at tho Sacred Heart College as Avell as the Grammar School or King's College.

The Bishop's letter to tho Board reau • as follows:—"! hereby once more request your Board to be good enough to accept tho Sacred Heart College, Ponsonby, as an 'equivalent' secondaiy schooi for tho tenure of scholarships, in accordance to the provisions of the. amended Education Act, 1910. Your commLttco has in its .possession the very favourable report of tho Education Department's inspectors to extend the accommodation required by them in tho M:iencc room, which has been completed, and is jioav* open at any timo for inspection by the Board. I tako this opportunity of placing before the Board the following further considerations:. — (I; Paymont of scholarship allowance s made not to the school but to parents cl holders of scholarships; (2) payment is not made for denominational or religious education, but for secular instruction only under control and inspection of the State; (3) public money nas been given by way of scholarships to two denominational schools, Wanganui Collegiate School and Christ's College, Christchurch, for more than thirty ye-ars; (4) public money has been paid for several years past to a number of denominational schools' in the Dominion for'scholarships to Maori children; (5) public money is paid by way of scholartdups and bureanes to denominational schools in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria; (G) tho followingEducation Boards havo granted tenureof scholarships to denominational schools in the Dominion: —Grey, North Canterbury', Wanganui, and Taranaki (tho last-named allowed an Inglcwooii boy to transfer his scholarship to St. Patrick's College, Wellington): (7) the Minister of Education repeatedly stated that denominational schools havo only to prove their efficiency to hai'C the privilege of having scholarship-holders ii.s pupils. In the case- of the Sacred Heart College, its efficiency is sufficiently evidenced by the inspector's report already mentioned, nnd by the fact that one of its pupils ivas first, in Class B in this year's Education Board scholarship, and another seventh, I annly fo;r the tenure of both scholnrehips" in the Sacred Heart Co-lego."

Tho Board received the Bishop's .ct ter and declined the application.