N.S.W. Catholic Schools Closed In State Aid Fight

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 13

N.S.W. Catholic Schools Closed In State Aid Fight

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY, July 10

All Roman Catholic ' schools in the Goulburn area of New South Wales will close for six weeks in protest against the failure of the present and past State governments to eon’rihiHe to the cost of d-’:inmin?*ional schools. : The decision was taken last ; night at a meeting called i officially bv the Church auth- ; orities and attended by the i Archbishop of Canberrai Goulburn <Dr. O'Brien) and 'the auxiliary Bishop <Dr Cullinane*. Five hundred parents attended. Some 2230 children ■ attend eight Catholic schools I and colleges in the Goulburn! district. Bishop Cullinane said to- : day the schools would close s 1 from next Monday. andl i would not open until after I the two weeks’ September i holidays—a period of six; weeks. The Bishops said parents were free to send; their children to State schools , in the area. The move has taken the)

State Government by surprise. The Child Welfare Act provides that children must attend school between the ages of six and 15. Last night's resolution which was carried almost ■inanimously. said the schools would be closed as a protest iigvn-t •he failure of the present S ': Government, and of past Str r Governments. to recognise he just claims of Roman Catholics to a fair share of the public purse funds for their education system. There has been a campaign for several years to ■ win State support for denominational schools. Church | laymen have argued that I church schools are supported iby governments in many other countries. including i England. Goulburn lavmen said today the current dispute came ; to a he, d when a State Education Depa-tment inspector instructed one church school to extend its lavatory block The school would have had difficulty raising the money, a spokesman said.