The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1879. THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 322, 20 June 1879, Page 13

The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1879. THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

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BE attitude of sereral denominations in New Zealand in reference to the education question is rery peculiar. Secularists, for example, are loud in their denunciations of denominational education ; and yet they insist on secular denominational schools, and have actually succeeded in obtaining such schools. And not only this, but they have also succeeded in forcing such schools on all other denominations. It is not enough for them to have godless schools, entirely supported by public funds, for their own children, but they insist that the public shall have no other kind of schools. This is tyranny and inconsistency with a vengeance. Secularists never cease denouncing denominational schools, yet they have and insist on having denominational schools and no others. We have in New Zealand the most odious and injurious system of denominational education possible. There is another denomination in this country which in principle, so far as mere denominationalism is concerned, differs in nothing from the secularists. They have not been so fortunate, however, as to persuade the Legislature to establish their 8 j stem. But animated to exertion by the good luck of the secular denomination, they are now agitating for the establishment of Presbyterian denominational public schools. These gentlemen too, denounce denominational education at the very moment they are strenuously exerting themselves to turn all the public schools of the colony into exclusively Protestant denominational schools. And strange as it may appear they pretend not to see the inconsistency, tyranny, and grievous injustice of their demand. A system of public education maintained at the common expense should do justice to all. But our actually existing system does an injustice to all, except secularists. And the system advocated by the Presbyterians would, if established, work an injustice to all, except Presbyterians. At present the public schools of the colony, to which it is expected Christian children shall go, are godless ; and the Presbyterians propose that schools to which Catholic and Church of England children shall, in the absence of schools of their own, be compelled to go, shall be Presbyterian. This will be vehemently denied, and we shall be told that the public schools are open to all ; and none shall be compelled to attend Bible reading and Protestant prayers. Experience, however, tells us what all this means. We know that the present system, and the proposed one, let theory be as it may, effectually exclude all Catholic teachers, and all Catholic children, notwithstanding that Catholics must pay money to maintain them. This, too, will be denied, but such denial must be made in the teeth of facts to the contrary. Take Otago and Canterbury for example. How many Catholic teachers and children are to be found in the public schools ? Echo answers how many. And so it is throughout the whole colony, wherever it is possible to have Catholic schools. Why? Simply because the public schools are not only anti-Catholic, but anti-Christian, and are consequently intrinsically dangerous to faith and morals. But would a different state of things exist if the schools should become what they had formerly been in Otago, for example, viz., Presbyterian denominational. Past experience answers the question in the negative. Under the old system neither Catholic teachers nor children were to be found in the public schools. Why ? Because they were intensely anti-Catholic. The few Catholics who nude trial of them

were compelled to read the Protestant Bible, and say Protestant prayers; and were not only subjected to the antiCatholic influence of bigoted and rulgar teachers, but also to the gibes and taunts of rude companions, who seldom lost an opportunity of seeking to humble and annoy them by insulting words, and disparaging comments on their religion. And as to teachers in particular, here is how applications from Catholics were received by School Committees. A few cases im point, just two, will explain our meaning. Some years ago the situation of head mistress in one of the Dunedin schools was racant. Several ladies applied for it, and after a due. examination, a Catholic applicant was declared by the examiners to be the best qualified. The head-master of the school, whose business it was to announce the result to the School Committee, wrote saying that Mrs. ■» was the most highly qualified candidate, but that she was a Catholic. On receiving this letter the Committee was virtuously indignant at the introduction of the question of religion into the headmaster's letter, told him they had nothing to do with the religion of the candidates, and magnanimously referred the question back to him, directing him to recommend the candidate whom he thought most eligible. He was and is a notorious anti-Catholic ; he knew his men well, and the true import of their indignation ; so he replied, saying of course in effect, that the most highly qualified candidate was not the most highly qualified for his school, and recommending one of the other less qualified candidates, a Protestant, whom the Committee at once appointed. In this case the headmaster and the School Committee of Dunedin rejected the most highly qualified candidate because she was a Catholic, and appointed a less qualified one because she was a Protestant. The same would happen to-day. No School Committee in any populous district of Otago or Canterbury or Wellington, or indeed anywhere, would appoint to any situation in a Government school a good Catholic, known as such. And this is the system of public education, for the maintenance of which we Catholics are compelled to pay. It will be said, we know, that we exaggerate, and we shall be told that Catholics are employed at this moment in public schools. Where, we ask, and how many ? Here is a case that occurred not long ago in reference to the head-mastership of one of our godless schools. The School Committee advertised for ahead-master : th« situation was eligible, the salary good, and •onstqutntly ther* were many applicants ; some even from Victoria. In dv« time the Committee met, and what was the result. Every applicant, who in the opinion of the Committee men, had the misfortune of having what appeared to be a Catholic name, was tpso facto rejected, without any further enquiry. And what makes the matter still more striking is the fact that on* gentleman who was rejected for having a Catholic name, happened to be s Protestant, and very highly qualified. And this it the system for the maintenance of which we Catholics are compelled to pay. Is it to be expected we will tamely submit to such bigotry, injustice, and tyranny ? mmmmmmmm^m^—mmmmm