THE DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 195, 22 December 1876, Page 10

THE DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL.

Last year, on the occasion of our noticing the annual distribution of prizes of this institution, we drew atteution to the fact that although supported for the most part by, public funds, this High School is denominational. This would not be a circumstance to be complained of, were all denominations treated with equal justice. But such is not the case. Each year a Presbyterian minister has opened the proceedings by prayer ; this stamps the seal of Presbyterianism on the school, independently of the consideration that the teachers and managers are almost exclusively Presbyterian, and that, in fact, none but Scotchmen and Presbyterians can ever feel themselves at home in this institution. Such being the case, what can be said of ths justice of devoting thousands annually out of the public funds to help to give a high education, with a Presbyterian bias, to the sons and daughters of well-to-do people. We always make it a point to call attention to this injustice, not in the expectation of contributing to effect a reform in the direction of justice, but to mark an historical fact, and remind Catholics how blatant boasters and hypocritical advocates of civil and religious liberty put their principles into practice. We are happy to be able to say there are none even calling themselves Catholics to be found amongst either teachers or pupils iv this school. It is well known by the authorities that Catholics cannot be forced or bribed into giving the least countenance to such an institution ; aud care is taken by those concerned to prove to them that they are not expected — that, in fact, there is no place for them there, notwithstanding the hollow profession that the institution is open to all. True it is open to all in the same way that Knox Church is open to all— that is,, so far as Catholics are concerned — by an abandonment of their religion, aud a profession of either Presbyteriauism or infidelity.