OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 203, 18 August 1893, Page 3

OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

CATHOLIC CLAIMS AND BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS. | (North Ota<3o Time 9.) A great many of tbe New Zealand news- f papers look with a kindly eye on Mr Glad: stone's Home Rule Bill. This co?t« the newspapers and the colony nothing, snd their opinions on the subject can therefore be displaced with smug complacency. Let, however, any member of the House indicate evin m ths mildest manner, that some I consideration Bhonld be shown the Catholics t m the way of a grant for educational pur- j poaas, and nearly every Home Ru!a head will be shaken m opposition to the proposal. The cry will be raised that our 6duci,tion \ system, which has taken years to build up, and which is complete m every detail, will be destroyed— the thin edge of the wedge will be introduced, and the whole fabric will eventually be demolished. The justice of making the grant never enters into tbe consideration of the question. The education fetich will be destroyed, and that is enough for them. They could look on with complacency at the < people of Ireland fighting, one portion for ) what they' think is freedom and the other against what they characterise as tyranny, ' bat so long as this colony is not asked to I ccntribnte the sinews of war, well — let them ( fight. There are indication s, however, that tb« Catholics of the colony, failing m ob- i taining what tkey consider justice m the natter of a grant for educational purpo»ea by means of the exercise of their power and ' influence at the ballot box, intend to take i other steps to attain their end, A few ( weeks ago we published a letter which hinted at the step which it is intended to take, and ] this is to close their own schools, and force , the State, probably only for a time, into the position of having to provide accommodation and education for their children. ] There is no disguising the fact that the ( Btate could not provide the accommodation . it once, and also that the cost of accommo- ' dation and education would entail so great ! aa increase to tbe already too heavy cost of tducation that a scheme would almoit neeesisrily be put into execution for recognising tb» claims of Catholics. This would ' so donbt be done not co much to placate the Catholics as m the interests of economy ; for while the State pays to education beards £3 15s per pupil, the Catholics, it is said, are prepared to take ons-balf this amount, maintain tbeir own schools and teaching staffs, and submit their children to periodical inspectorial examin- ', ations similar to State schools With many ] the question will be one of forcing Catholic • children into State schools at any price. ] This may be characterised as bigotry. j With others the question will be— Wbioh . will be the cheaper plan ? The question of Biblc-readiog m public schools is being persevericgly pushed to the front by its 3 sdvooatee, many of whom, to gat over the . difficulty that stands m tbe way, indicate - their willingness to favor a grant to Catholic schools m return for the introduction of , Bible-reading m publio schools. The introduction of Bible-readir g, they see, depends to a considerable extent on a recognition of the claims of Catholics. Thus tbe matter stands at present, and we can see this looßsing m the near future : that no matter what our individual opinions may be, before f loDg the Bible will be read m public schools, and tbe Catholics will receive a grant from tbe Btate to assist them to educate their ( children. This, we think, is inevitable. .. _ i