ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6123, 9 March 1898, Page 3

ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

THE QUESTION OF INSPECTION. EDUCATION BOARD, DEB ATE. At the meeting of the North Canterbury Education Board this morning, the letter received at the last meeting from the Very Rev Father Cummings, V.G., applying for the inspection of the Roman Catholic Bchools by the Board's inspectors was brought under consideration. Mr Buddo said that the question must be dealt with in one of two ways. Much as he would like a debate on the subject, he would like information still more, and he would move — "That a committee, consisting of Messrs Adams, Buddo, Hardy, Munnings and Peryman, be appointed to inquire into the whole question of the inspecspection of private schools by the Board's inspectors, whether ,!the effect of such inspection would be beneficial to the pupils attending private schools, and also the probability of further applications for inspection by the Board's ateff; whether the result of such inspection would affect State education in North Canterbury, in. attendance or otherwise, the probable cost of inspection, and if the present staff of inspectors can be expected to undertake the work, and report to the Board at the next general meeting." Mr Saunders said this was a most important subject. It was not a matter of £ a, d., but was a question of the upholding of religious freedom in this colony. The present education system was intended to be. universally applied, so that no one's feeling could be hurt thereby. The present system had worked well for twenty years.. He , traced the growth of religious freedom from the time of the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act, and showed that the small sects who had suffered most persecution valued their religious liberty most. He had studied the subject all his life, and had learned that there were some ninety-five religious denominations in New Zealand. It was almost impossible to teach anything in the way of formal religion without offending some of these. He had said this .was not a question of £ s. d., but were it so they should have nothing to do with it. What was almost used as a threat was the statement that the Catholics would seriously embarrass the Board by sending their children to the State schools. He did not see much in that. Most of these children were in the large towns, where the cost of education was less per head, and the cost of denominational education had always been greater than that carried on by the State. We wanted to aim at getting a population steady, respectable and lawabiding ; but Australasian statistics showed that crime increased directly in proportion to the amount of denominational education in force. He quoted statistics to show that Sydney and South Australia, which made a strong point of religious education, topped the list of criminals for the colonies. New Zealand was perhaps freer from crime than any colony in the world, vith the exception, possibly, of South Australia, where the conditions were similar to our own. He moved, as an amendment — "That the Very Rev Father Cummings, Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand, be respectfully informed that it would be a violation of the first principles of the Constitution Act of New Zealand as well as of the letter and spirit of the New Zealand Education Act, if the North Canterbury Board of Education were to sanction the diversion to any sectarian or denominational purpose of any portion, however small, of the large sums of public money collected from all classes and denominations in New Zealand, and entrusted to them for the promotion of the free, secular and unsectarian instruction of the whole of the children of New Zealand. Mr Rennie seconded the amendment. He did not a«*ree with the inspection by the

Board's inspectors of schools over which i the Board had no control. « nlMn . a Mr C. A. C.Hardy "Pf^^-S^* ! resolution, and deprecated the feetthat |Mr Saunders had confined himself to the ! religious aspect of the case. Personally he would like to see not only the Roman Catholic schools, but all private schools, ! inspected by the Board's officers. Mr T S Weston pointed out that all ' churches 'in New Zealand were on ! a level footing, and were dependent for their maintenance on the private subscriptions of their members. Mr Saunders had pointed out that there were ninety-five' different religious dedenominations in New Zealand. These denominations would teach their children in the faith and religion of their fathers, and it was well it should be so. But it was manifestly impossible for the State to give grants to each of these ninety-five denominations for the teaching of their various religions. Mr Weston went oil to show that the Legislature and the people of the colony had alike declared for secular education," and he pointed out how illogical any other position was when this was the case. He honoured the Catholics for the manner in which they had educated their children,and had the greatest respect for their thoroughness, but he coiild not support a [measure which would give them an adI vantage over any other denomination. If the Board had a grant of money for school purposes, was it reasonable that it should spend any portion on the inspection of tho children of those who did not contribute towards the schools under the Board's control, or take advantage of them ? The Education Board with its present limited income certainly could not take such a step. He would like to see an amendment proposed that, although not disapproving of the inspection of private schools, the Board does not see its way to expend money in the inspection of schools which do not contribute in any way to the funds of the Board. He did not see how the Boaid could honestly expend public money on the Catholic schools without taking the same action in regard to other private school*. Mr Westenra would not approach the question from a religions point of view, nor would he give a silent vote. He could not help admiring the manner in which so many p'6or Roman Catholic parents put themselves to hard straits to pay for the education of their children. The Education Act, which that Board had to administer, made no provision for denominational ism. The chances given by the Act for the teaching of religion in schools by the clergy were not availed of, and it seemed to him that many of the clergy were doing their best to break up the present system. If the Government decided to inspect private schools, by all means let the Government do it, and appoint its own officers for that purpose. It was, however, unfair to expect the Board to do it. He counselled firmness in the matter, and advised that the application of the Rev Father Cummings should not be accede^ to. '" " v ' "■; Mr Munnlugs pointed out that thtS Roman Catholic Church, above other churches, recognised the necessity of retaining the teaching of its own children. He quoted the clause in the Act which allowed of the inspection of private schools, and pointed out that the aim of the State was to give a . secular education up to a certain standard. The Church of England and the Roman Catholic schools were giving their children a secular and a religious education . side by side, and his idea of. justice .was that the Government inspectors should see! that: the secular education of these children [-was at least as good as that of children in the State schools. He would like to see all private

schools inspected. Mr Peryman thought that to pass the resolution was to shelve the question. In his opinion the Board should re-affirm its action of 1892. He was, however, strictly in favour of Bible reading in schools, and considered that the Act was at present behind the age. He thought, as there was every convenience at the Board's schools, those children from the Catholic schools who wished to pass should go to the State schools to do so. The Chairman would vote for the amendment in preference to seeing. the question* practically shelved. He did not altogether hold with the amendment, but there was at present nothing better before the Board. ■ Mr Buddo, in replying, was sorry that ! the religious and| denominational questions had been introduced, and claimed that these had nothing to do with the subject which the Board had met to consider. He claimed that the clauses in the Act which permitted- the inspection by ; the State inspectors of private schools applied to all schools outside the State schools. He took it that not many schools would bo likely to apply for inspection. There were, he believed, six schools under the Very feev Father Cummings and four under the Anglican Church. He asked the members of the Board to divest themselves of any religious or denominational bias. They had the children to consider, and children in the country who could not obtain employment except by a back door were surely entitled to consideration. He urged the Board to handle the matter vigorously in one way or the other, not forgetting to give the subject the most - careful consideration possible. On being put to the vote, the original rosolution was thrown out, and the amendment carried, Messrs Buddo, Munnings and Hardy being the only disseni tients.