THE PENINSULA ELECTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 510, 19 January 1883, Page 16

THE PENINSULA ELECTION.

(From the Otago Daily Times.) Thk Rev. Dr. Moran addressed a meeting of the electors of* the Peninsula at the schoolhouse, Aaderson's Bay, last (Wednesday^ evening, as a candidate to represent their district in Parliament. ' y Mr. John White occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of electors, the room being crowded. Bishop Moran, in his address, dealt fully with the question, of edacation. As showing the sincerity and determination of^sthe Roman Catholics to have their children educated according to their principles and convictions, hi« Lordship referred to the great sacri* fices they made in order to support their own schools. In Oamaru, he said, in addition to supporting their own schools, they had raised £1700 or £1800 for school buildings. In luvercaigill two schools bad been supported by them, and during the last twelve months they had raised £1600 to provide new school accommodation ; and while they had been doing this, they had been all the time paying a full share of the taxation which goes to support the Government system of education. Greater efforts had been made by them in' the cause of education in the past than in previous years, and still greater ! efforts would be made in the future. During the last twelve 'years the Catholic body had spent in and about Dunedin £20,000 for school purposes. Did not these facts prove that the Catholics were thoroughly in earnest and determined, and that it was futile, absolutely idle, to expect that they would accept the Government system of education ? Such being the case, the issue he placed before them was this : Were they, as honest and liberal-minded men, prepared to insist that Roman Catholics, while they continued to support their own schools, should at the same time contribute to the support of the Government schools, from which they reaped no advantage 1 Would it be fair or just to do so ? He need not say that he thought it neither fair, just, nor equitable, nor did he think it at all politic, be* cause member 3 of the Roman Catholic body must be less than men if they did not feel acutely the injustice that was being done to them by their fellow citizens. He was anxious he should not be misunderstood. He was not seeking to overturn the system to which they seemed to be so much attached. If they wished to have that system they weuld meet with no opposition on his part, or if they wished to make any change he would not object to that, provided always they would consent to do justice to the Roman Catholic body. If a fair shaft; of the public expenditure for educational purposes was given to the Roman Catholics there would be no opposition from them to others providing such schools as would meet their own views. The candidate repeated that they only asked for the same treatment that was accorded to the Roman Catholic body in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Against the present system the Catholics in this colony had protested by petitions and through the Press, and also in the most efficacious manner possible — by establishing and maintaining schools of their own. Were the constituents prepared to insist upon a continuance of this state of things 1 He had sufficient confidence in their sense of justice to believe that they would not consent to that, and that if they had consented to it hitherto, that consent had been because they did not fully understand, or because, in fact, their attention had not been drawn to the state of the case. He did not think the electors of the Peninsula would for a moment insist upon placing the Roman Catholics in this unfavourable position so far as the education of the country was concerned. The only argument that was brought against him, the only argument that could be brought against him, was the one to which Ye had previously alluded, that they could avail themselves of the system if they pleased. The answer to that was — " We cannot, and we have proved by our conduct, by our perseverance, and by our generosity to our own 'schools that we cannot." It was of no avail to say, " There is no reason." They answered, " There is a reason, and we have, proved our sincerity in that assertion." He was not asking IQr any thing" for himself that he was not prepared to give to another. He was not endeavouring to take from any man his rights. He was not trying -to deprive any of what was fair, equitable and just. He was asking simply for equality, for even-handed jui-tice, for fair play, and he.£|sa greatly mistaken in his estimate of the electors of the Peninsula if an appeal made for these reasons to them was an appeal made in vain. Mr. North asked if the candidate, in the event of aid being granted to denominational schools, would be agreeable that the schools under his control should be subject to inspection by the Government inspectors, in the same way as State schools. The Rev. Dr. Moran : Yes. I should not only submit to it, I should invite it.— (Applause.) An elector inquired if Dr. Moran would be in favour of the Government or of the Opposition, if returned. The Rev. Dr. Moran : I think there has been a great deal too much of the " no-confidence " system in New Zealand politics, that too much of the time of the country has been wasted in struggles for •race, and too little attention to public business. The Government , hat is in existence — that is, the Government of the day— according

to my view, has a claim upon us all for reasonable support, because i it is the Government in possession, and I think the public interests ' require that we should give it fair play. No matter what Government I find in office I will be no party to thwart the Government, and I will not support a " no-confidence " motion unless the Government of the day is guilty of some cross dereliction of duty ; though, should A Government propose a measure I think, injurious to the interests of the country or unjust. I will vote against that, no matter what are the consequences, even though the resignation of the Ministry is involved in it ; and I will support every good measure, no matter from what ■ quarter it emanates, irrespective altogether of party considerations. In reply to other questions, the candidate said that if returned to Parliament and defeated on the education question he would continue to represent the constituency ; that he was a thorough Freetrader, and was in favour of an Upper House. In reply to a query as to whether he was in favour of bonuses, the candidate replied : That is another question— that is not Protection. I see no objection to it in a new country. I think it is a wise and good system if it is not carried too far. At the close of the meeting a vote of confidence in the candidate was proposed by Mr. N. Moloney, seconded by Mr. D. Burke, and carried on the voices.