As Others See Us.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6409, 11 November 1895, Page 3

As Others See Us.

The Review of Reviews for the present month contains a character sketch of Archbishop Croke, at one time Catholic Bishop of Auckland and now Archbishop of Cashcl. The article is written in Stead's usual thorough-going and sympathetic style, and contains much of interest to Catholic and Protestant, Home Ruler and Unionist. From it we take the following, the latter paragraph of which will doubtless be news to many : Dr Croke is enthusiastic about New Zealand. He thinks it is the finest country on the face of the globe ; the best to live in, the best to work in, and the best enjoy life in. The climate seems to him to be perfection, the general education and intelligence which prevai' among the colonists higher tban in any other colony. Nothing could be more enthusiastic tban the description given by Dr Croke of his old diocese. He attributes the superiority of the colony largely to the fact that the Maori wars necessitated a considerable influx of British officers, who, when they had done their fighting, elected to settle down on land grants. Whatever the cause, he believed that New Zealand would soon be recognised as the brightest jewel in the Imperial diadem, and he noted with keen delight the success which had attended the bold initiative taken by New Zealand in the enfranchisment of women. For the most part the colonists are extremely tolerant, and the relations between the various churches leave nothing to be desired. Here and there, no doubt, you may find an extreme sectarian, but for the most part nothing can exceed the generosity and liberality of the colonists in dealing with ministers of religion. •* How about the education question 1" I asked Dr Croke. "That is the great touchstono which tests the liberality of men's opinions as to conflicting creeds." "I think," replied Dr Croke, "that the New Zealand system is fairly satisfactory. The State provides an education solely secular, and ministers of religion are authorised to impart religious instruction to their pupils one day in the week. The Catholic priests of New Zealand attend regularly for some hours in the week to catechise the Catholic scholars in the public schools. The system seems to work admirably."