STATE AID WANTED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 10, 11 July 1912, Page 8

STATE AID WANTED

FOR SECULAR INSTRUCTION -APPEAL BY Dfc. KENNEDY. , "It is commonly believed," Dr. Kennedy, principal of St. Patrick* College, told the Education Commission to-day, "that 'we Catholics want to get rid of the present system of education and to 1 indue© the State to pay for the teaching of religion. What we really want is to broaden and deepen the present system, to make it thoroughly national, "by bringing all secular education under State control, and by having secular education — and secular education only, paid fpr by the State, wherever and by whomsoever it is given; to the satisfaction of the State. The State ac such,', has no i*eligion, consequently cannot teach religion, and cannot order religion to be taught by anyone. But the State is not hostile to religion and should not refuse to pay for a sound secular education, because religious .training is given as well." Suppose two bchools on opposite sides of the street, one v public school and the other a, private school. In both, secular instruction of precisely the same character is given . Why should not the State pay for the (secular tuition in both, irrespective of religion? " The Slate," continued Dr. Kennedy, * 'could have precisely the same control' as regards, secular instruction and pay for the work done, and not pay for the work not done. The religious training would be provided by those who j want it at their own expense. Such a system workß satisfactorily in England, Germany, Holland, and Canada. If such a system were adopted in New Zealand our present system of secular education would be broadened and made thoroughly national, and something like fair play, and justice would be done to all. As it is at present; one-seventh of the population pi the Dominion are excluded on conscientious grounds, and are' deprived of their rightful chare of the public. moneys voted for education, because 'they) cannot' conscientiously divorce religion from education. During the last thirty-five years the annual expenditure by. Catholics on the education i of their children has amounted to a total of considerably over a million pounds..; I ' think the time has ,come ' when pur demands should receive calm and sympathetic consideration. I■ am confident, if they are put clearly to the public; they will meet with very general support;" s . j

A letter received from a Wellington business man who went to Australia recently, states that "things are not booming so, much in the Commonwealth as many of us" were led to believe from the glowing statements published in some of f the newspapers." The writer is ac cordingly, returning to New Zealand. The) Cost of Living Commission concluded its work of taking evidence- this afternoon. No agreement was come to at the Conciliation Council meeting to-day in the warehousemen and merchants' assistants' dispute. The dispute will now go before the Arbitration Court. A correspondent complains that the late Government, in the matter of Civil Service. appointm3nt3, had severaj backdoors to avoid the Civil Service examination, if the candidate had sufficient influence. "Typists," the writer states, "are appointed without that qualification, as also are telephone t exchange assistants, both of which call for very slight mechanical" qualifications. Young women have recently been taken on under these systems,' while those who have passed the examinations are still kicking, their heels waiting for a chance. Thie subject might be investigated by the Royal Commission. Are these appointments, subject to promotions or transfer* to other departments?"