HOW EDUCATION IS PROMOTED IN NEW ZEALAND. ''

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 268, 21 June 1878, Page 7

HOW EDUCATION IS PROMOTED IN NEW ZEALAND. ' '

(To the Editor of the Nelson Colonist.')

Sir, — After twenty eight years of a flourishing existence, St. Mary's Schools, thanks to the New Education Act, must be fettered and crushed down.

The new Education Act coming into force on the Ist July next, or, in other words, the Provincial system, under which St. Mary's Schools had been for years working in a manner most satisfactory to the public and to the Inspector of Public Schools, having been abolished with the marked dissatisfaction of the Province, I beg to state, for ths information of the Protestant parents who have hitherto sent their children to St. Mary's Schools, that I am obliged to alter the system hitherto pursued in this establishment.

The new Act, under which I am at liberty to place St. Mary's Schools, by its unjust provisions, necessitates, as it does Catholics in other towns of the colony, the refusal of a grant, which can only be received at the expense of violating my conscience.

Until now, our schools beiag seperate schools, according to the amendments of the Act, we had the control of the books and teachers ; but now, by the new Act, we should have to receive from the new School Board, books in which the Catholic religion here and there, is reviled, its history falsified, and in many cases, its ministers misrepresented. It may be alleged that the system will be purely secular, but I maintain that it cannot, because the books used aTe of the character above described. Besides, we would be exposed to receive from the new Board masters and mistresses in whose hands we could not trust the faith and education of Catholic children.

I am glad to avail myself of this opportunity for acknowledging the kindness and fairness of the Central Board, with whom our schools have been working whilst under the Provincial system ; but now, we have not before us the same security nor the same means of protection, we prefer, therefore, to open our schools under a system which will be independent of the Government, and which will enable us to conduct them at our own discretion. I beg also to , thank the Protestant parents, who have sent their children to St. Mary's Schools, and have given us their hearty support for the past twenty-eight years, without having preferred a single instance of attempted proselytism. or undue interference with the religious convictions of the children they had placed under our charge.

It may be remembered that, from time time, I published in the papers that, although I consented to place St. Mary's schools under operation of the Provincial system, yet I would support the denominational wherever and whenever it would be practicable. Now lam glad to see that lam forced into it. lam glad, because it is a system which will suit our principals and views. However, lam forced into it, because we are not prepared to go to the expense, and yet we must do it unless we sacrifice oar principles and violate the dictates of our conscience. We are not prepared to go to the expense, because we shall receive no aid nor any assistance from a Government who call themselves liberal, but who, by most unjust and tyrannical measure?, have framed an Act of Education by which Catholic parents and Catholic teachers are excluded from such schools, except at the expense of their religious convictions. And yet, " New Zealand Catholics," as states a contemporary, " are compelled to pay in one year £30,000 to maintain a godless system of education, from which they derive no benefit whatever, which excludes every Catholic book and every scrap of Catholic literature from its halls ; practically closes these halls against Catholic children and Catholic teachers ; and absolutely ignores, even as an historical fact, the very existence of the Catholic Church. Nor is this all. The New Zealand Government, which so unmercifully fleeces its Catholic subjects to promote anti-Catholic and godless education, absolutely refuses to give one shilling, even of their own money to help Catholics in supporting their own Christian and Catholic schools."

In Catholic schools, children, indeed, are taught that there is a God ; that they have to serve Him, and keep His commandments ; that that God will reward the good, and punish the' wicked ; that to Him they must offer their studies, as well as their other works during life ; that they must ask Him to make them succeed and prosper. But they are also taught all the branches of secular instruction which are taught in Government schools, or any other school of the same standard ; and after school business is over, they have to thank God for the favours received, and offer to His glory all they have learned. By this method, Catholics have the control of cheir books and teachers, and see that their children receive together good secular instruction grounded upon religion.

It is no wonder if many good Protestants prefer to send their children to such Catholic schools, rather than send them to godless schools, where by the new Education Act they will not be permitted to hear of their Maker, nor to learn the duties they owe Him.

Meanwhile, in opening our Catholic schools, we shall endeavor to make arrangements, as much as possible, to enable Protestant chil. dren, who would wish to attend them, to do it at the time when secular instruction will be given. Farther information as to fees, &c, will be given by advertisement at the end of this month. I am, &c. A. M. GARitf, Nelson, June 7th, 1878. Catholic Priest.