The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1878. GODLESS EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 272, 19 July 1878, Page 13

The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1878. GODLESS EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE.

ffijfffiSwL NOTHER sop, another bribe, and, as we believe, rfs^sfriS* another political hypocrisy ! Here it is, headed "Memorandum for the Chairmen of School ||i|wf Committees ." "In view of the numerous vacancies \||uM likely to occur for cadets in the public departments qjfcp of the civil service, the Government is desirous of T giving every encouragement to youths attending ;he public schools of the colony to obtain such appointments. The Chairmen of School Committees are therefore requested to forward to the Hon the Minister of Education, as soon as possible, a list of youths over sixteen (16) years of age at present or formerly pupils of public schools whom they can recommend for ability, good conduct, and general fitness to fill such vacancies as cadets, as may be open from time to time. " By Order. John Hislop. Department of Education, Wellington 20th Juue 1878. This memorandum is either seriously meant, or it is a mere manoeuvre intended to damage all private and denominational schools. We shall consider it under both points of view. If it is seriously meant, then we hesitate not to denounce it as a monstrous piece of injustice. For if it has any meaning at all, it means that cadets are to be chosen exclusively from amongst the pupils of public schools. There is to be no competitive examination, such as prevails in Great Britain, no test of qualification, but the recommendation of chairmen of school committees, who will of course find no boys equal to their own and those of their brother committee men. This memorandum also expressly excludes all Catholics from cadetships, for Mr. Hislop and the Minister of Education are perfectly well aware that Catholics do not frequent public schools, that in all centres of population they have excellent Catholic schools for their own children and that they are actively engaged in making preparations to erect Catholic schools in other localities. In the face of this, a memorandum, such as Mr. Hislop's cannot bo regarded in any other light, than as an express exclusion of all Catholics from the public service of the colony. Here, then, we behold the first fruit of godlessncss in education. Unjust in its conception, unjust in its administration, such a system of education cannot be otherwise than monstrously unjust in the fruits it produces. The Government of this country educates one portion of the community at the expense of all, efficaciously shuts the doors of public schools in the faces of another portion of the community ; and then reserves for the exclusive benefit of the favoured portion the prizes of the public service which, in justice, should be equally open to all. From this it appears that our Government and legislature adopt every means that the most astute policy can suggest to destroy Christianity in the minds, and hearts of the rising generation. One-sided legislation, one-sided administration ; bribes to one section, penalties and fiscal burdens for the other.

This is the state of the case, in the supposition that this Memorandum really means what it states. But another view may be legitimately taken of this document. And this is, that it is only meant as a bogey to frighten denominationalists. We are led to this conclusion from our knowledge of the fact that there is no difficulty whatever in finding not only a sufficient number of aspirants to cadetships in the public service, but more than enough. Why the Minister will, at the opening of Parliament, find himself overwhelmed by an emharras de richesse in this matter — the applications from Members of Parliament for appointments for their juvenile friends, will bo, as they always are, too numerous for the generosity of even the Minister of Education.

Our conviction then is that this Memorandum of Mr. Hislop's is only intended as another aid to godless education, and as a discouragement to denominationalists. It is meant as an argument to show them the foolishness of perse~