Case For Private School Aid “Good”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 14

Case For Private School Aid “Good”

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 8

The greater part of the education provided in Roman Catholic schools was secular, just as it was in State schools, and there was a good case for State aid in helping to pay for this, Mr R. Hubbard told the Catholic Men’s Luncheon Club todav.

Mr Hubbard, who is president of the Auckland Federation of Parent-Teacher and Friends Associations, was today speaking as president of the Auckland Diocesan Catholic Federation.

He quoted figures to show that 14 per cent, of New Zealand primary pupils and 20 per cent, of secondary ones attended private schools. This meant a saving to the State of £8.400.000 a year.

“We seek an all-party agreement on this question

of aid.” said Mr Hubbard. “We ask that it not be discussed in the light of religion, but from the view of the rights of a minority in the light of the contribution that minority makes to the country’s education. “Lt is a straight-out question of the rights of parents to educate their children as they wish.” Mr Hubbard said. “In our schools we try to bring all our children in and offer them education with a Christian background. We recognise the free, compulsory and secular idea. “They attend because education is compulsory. We teach them the secular subjects in the curriculum the same as the State schools do, and we try to make our education free as far as we can,” he said.