Roman Catholic Schools

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 15, 12 October 1933, Page 11

Roman Catholic Schools

Sir,- —In your issue of October 10. a correspondent “Honesty” criticises the Wellington Catholic Education Trust Board in regard to facts and figures in regard to education in this Dotuiuion and the injustice which the Catholic community is labouring under in being compelled through taxation to support a system of education which they in conscience cannot avail themselves of. In addition to contributing to tlie State .system they build, equip and maintain their own schools. “Honesty” has apparently rushed into print without reflection. In the first place be has evidently misread the summarised report published by you, as he quotes that the Catholic community of Wellington City claims to have saved the Government £18.234. plus teachers’ salaries through having their own system of education. If he refers to the report again he will find that the board claims that Wellington City Catholic primary schools saved the Government £18.2.34 and of that amount £13.436 would represent an expenditure on sal- i aries for teachers if they were State employees. In addition the Catholic community of 'Wellington City contributed £2lxloo per annum through taxation to the State system, receiving practically nothing in return. “Honesty” suggests a brilliant solution for the absorption of : Catholic school pupils by the State, again |

without reflection. By a stroke of the pen he divides the 1836 pupils attending the twelve Wellington City Catholic primary schools into the sixty State schools in the same area and finds that each of the State schools would have an average of four to each standard. Is “Honesty” aware that in the Mount Cook district we have two Catholic primary schools with a roll of approximately 550 pupils. Would the Mount Cook school accommodate that additional number without increasing staff and accommodation? Similarly with other districts. Perhaps if “Honesty” studies the position in regard to Catholic schools on n Dominion basis instead of a Wellington City point of view .he would receive a greater shock. The Catholic community has 214 primary schools with an attendance of 22.487 pupils and 715 teachers. The cost to the Government, would be £216.250 per annum. Tn addition to this the Catholic community are contributing through taxation the large sum of £447.982 per annum. Needless to say the Catholic community are proud of their s’chools and notwithstanding the fact that the pupils receive a truly Christian education the secular studies have not suffered. As a matter of fact from your own columns we learn that in the Wellington Education’ District the examinations by the Government inspectors disclose that private primary schools had the h<v>t record securing 80.2 per cent passes against the State primary schools percentage—67.9.—T am, etc.. P. D. HOSKINS. Hon. Sec.. Wellington Catholic Education Trust Board. Wellington. October 11.