FATHER POWER'S LETTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7048, 9 February 1910, Page 5

FATHER POWER'S LETTER

(To the Editor " N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —The Bor. Bather Power is alto* gather in error in assuming that the paragraph he quotas from my .previous letter referred to him, and I am afraid he has not reaid my. letter carefully. As a matter of fact his came only; appears in connection with a reference to a controversy between him and myself which caused Sir Hebert' to send mo certain data. Part of that data referred to the, question in discussion between Mr Gammell and " Arietobulus," and I used it in that connection, as anyone following the correspondence can see. As a matter of foot, the paragraph quoted by the rev. gentleman really referred to critics of the " Aristohulus " and Bishop Neligan type, and was, in my opinion, a plain statement of a self-evident fact. I am, therefore, not called upon to enter into a sectarian quarrel with F abhor Power. He tried to draw me into that in the previous correspondence, but as my correspondence mis not directed to a defence of Sir Robert on that head, but to a defence of out Chief Justice from' certain unworthy motives attributed to him by the Bov. Father,' I declined to discuss that matter, just os I now do. I have the figures, but I have neither the desire nor do I believe you would bo willing to. open up a relqjioufl controversy. Indeed, I look upon it aa the cornor-übone of the wisdom of our secular system that we grow up lovers of religious equality.. It is sufficient for mo to ,be satisfied, as I aim • from the official statistics supplied by. Sir Robert, that the secular system of which I, in common with the majority of New Zealanders, am so proud has not produced the baneful results which misguided, theologians and zealots attribute to it, ' but quite the reverse. .The question is not, does religious training m schools turn out more criminals, but does it tend to turn out less? Figures certainly do not say so. because the tables quoted by Sir Robert begin with the results of tho old Bible-in-sohool system, and the comparison speaks for itself, and in itself proves Sir Boborfs : statement without any reference to Roman Oatholiqima whatever.—l am, oto., J. J. RAMSAY. Rotorua, February. 6th, 1910.