Mrs Aldis and Secular Education.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 691, 26 March 1892, Page 7

Mrs Aldis and Secular Education.

(To the Editor, Obseeveb.)

Sib, — There is not another person in this community who has so often and so forcibly denounced the manifest injustice of compelling dissenters from a State religion to contribute their money to its support, as Professor Aldis's better half. So far good. Fortunately we have no State religion, nor are we very likely ever to have. No selfishness, no bigotry, consequently obscures our sense of justice or fairness on the question. But if we have no State religion, we have somotMng after the same model— State Secular Education, from which there are dissenters too. There is of course a difference, but then it is one of degree, not of principle. These dissenters are, besides, the poorest section of our fellow - citizens. Yet, strangely inconsistent as it must appear, there is no other person in the community who so vehemently defends the manifest injustice of compelling such dissenters to contribute to the support of State Secular Education as the Professor's better half. To take their money from religious dissenters for the support of a State system of religion was, according to her, very unjust : while to take the money of those who dissent from a State system of Secular Education, for its support, is not at all unjust or dishonest. Eeasoning against such inconsistency is labour thrown away, and consequently it is now time to draw to a close. There are none so very blind as those who will not see.— l am, etc., An Anolican Clergy-man. P.S. — Kindly allow me to express my warm thanks to your able contributor, Mr Martin Smith, for the great service rendered to the reading public in ridding our newspapers of the vain and shallow claptrap which had long been really very intolerable. Nevertheless, not to speak of the others, if Professor Steadman Aldis and Mrs Mary Steadman Aldis would, by their writings, have the effect of inducing Mr Smith to favour us with another article, similar to his last one, I should feel greatly obliged to them. My card enclosed.

The Auckland printers hold a picnic on Saturday, April 2. The matter is being enthusiastically worked up, and with the co-operation of employers— if obtained — should prove quite a grand affair.

Auckiand does not stand alone as the centre of juvenile crime, for a glance at the police court proceedings of all our leading New Zealand cities show 3 that each city brings forth its share of crime and depravity. And yet we give our money to ' Dr. Maher,' in aid of the Barnardo Institution, and other kindred foreign societies for the saving of waifs in other parts of the world. New Zealand, look to your own ; ' charity begins at home. 1