PARISH SCHOOL EXTENSION

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28217, 4 March 1957, Page 7

PARISH SCHOOL EXTENSION

Opening At New Brighton “Bound up with British colonisation there has been much more than a tolerance of missionary endeavour,” said the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (.the Most Rev. E. M. Joyce), at the opening of the extension to the Roman Catholic parish school at New Brighton yesterday afternoon.

“Indeed, competent observers would say that much of the success that has attended British colonisation is caused by the active support given by the Colonial Office to the missions,” he said. “Today in many of the British colonies we find governments supporting church schools as did our own Provincial Government in the earliest days of our colony. “Some say, of course, that we in New Zealand are different to the home country, where active support is still given to church schools. All I can say in answer to that is I hope and pray we will never be different from the British Isles in our appreciation of those things that really form the soul of any Christian country,” said Bishop Joyce. The Mayor of- Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane. M.P.) and the member of Parliament for the district (Mr J. Mathison) also attended the ceremony. Visitors were welcomed by the Rev. Father T. Daly. A large gathering of parents and friends attended the opening of the extension, which will accommodate about 120 more children.