THE CANTERBURY CATHOLICS AND THE CANTERBURY EDUCATION TAX.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 40, 31 January 1874, Page 7

THE CANTERBURY CATHOLICS AND THE CANTERBURY EDUCATION TAX.

A meeting w:is held at Chru-tchirch on Sunday, 4th insf., cf the ''Education Kate Cuirmittee" appoi-itecl by tiie Catholics. Tho meeting took place after Tospers. There were present — Mr Sheath, sen., Mr Corr, Mr Loughnan, s*n , Mr Bowarinan, Mr Lee, Mr 13onnington, Mr Eidley (also Father Ec.iyer, but aot on committee). A resolution was passed that t ; ie circul.ir read to-day at tho meeting v\ the schoolroom [at which meeling the action of the committee was approved of, and it was recommended t\:\t the circular be submitted to the Bishop and afterwards puiihshedj b- Lrwarded to Ilis Lordship Bishop Moraii with ;i request that Lii* Lordship would be kind enough to hand it to 'he Target for publication. The circular is a.3 follows ; — To the Catholics of Piovir.cc- of Canterbury : You tu-e no doubt a save by this time tint the Education Kate is due, and is now being collected i i the vaiijus pa> - ts cf the province, i'he i:iju3'ieo of this tax h.ss been a subject of general di.-ciis'io'i among 0 itholics both piivately ami publieiy ; and thi-s circuhr i» to inform yju that at a meeting held in the C.ithohc schoolroom, Chii-t-church, on the 4 - li inst., a resolution to the following effect was canit-d uniuimously : — "'That payment of the EJucatioi; Rafe be n si-ted by all inorul and legal means ; and that a committee be formed for tl.o purpose of considering the best measures to adopt in resisting the payment of the rate." The committee appointed at that mejiin^ hare considered tho matter, aud h-iv.- arrived at the following conclusions : — Firat. The commit teo, so far as they can at p.-esenl jtid^o, are of opinion that the tax is le^al, ami one which the Government will probably have uo difficulty iv enforcing by legal process, shoul I any of you refuse to pay otherwise. Secondly. The committee a - e of opinion that, although the tax u\ay be a legal one, v is so pointedly

oppressive on Catholics that it ought not to be paid by them willingly; and further, the committee believe that if Catholics generally decline to pay unless compelled to do so under Uegal pressure, that anunited action of this nature would convince the 'Government more forcibly than any other mode of procedure how deeply the injustice of the tax was felt. Thirdly. In conjunction with the mode of action intimated above, the committee recommend that a strong effort *be 'made to get all-Catholics who are entitled to a vote duly registered before the next elections take place, so that as much influence as possible may be brought to bear on candidates for election on the 'education question. Having arrived at the above conclusions, and being willing to assist as far as possible in carrying out their views, the committee beg to invite the co-operation of all those -who hold similar views ; and they 'beg to state that they will meet every Sunday after Mass in the schoolroom until further notice, where they will be glad to receive any suggestions or give any information or assistance in the ir power on the subject. Subscriptions will be received for the purpose of defraying legal and other expenses, and also for expenses incurred in the registration of votes.