THE EVENING STAR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 13, 18 July 1884, Page 17

THE EVENING STAR.

UR evening contemporary, the Star, in one of its issues lately informed the public that the Catholic block vote in D lined in Central is to be given, on Tuesday next, to one of tin? candidates. As.a matter of right, Catholics, if they wish, are entitled to give a block vote, and are not called upon to apologise to any man, or set of men, for so doing. But, as a matter of fact, the story of the Star is a pure fabrication. The Catholics of Duuedin Central have

had no political meeting, have, as a body, come to no resolution in reference to the approaching contests, and have not determined on any combined action. What they may do or not do is- entirely a matter of pure speculation on the part of the Star and their other enemies who, as usual on the occasion of an election, rend forth unauthorised reports to damage an opponent. This report, then, is only a conclusion from premises which the Star takes for granted. No doubt our contemporary is convinced that no Catholic would be so stupid, so base, and so cowardly as to record a vote for an enemy to their schools, and has therefore felt itself justified in asserting what it certainly does not, and could not, know for a fact. It is also pretty certain that the Star has had a motive for this fabrication. The Star has always been the advocate of tyranny as regards education, so far as the Catholic body is concerned, and has never lost an opportunity of endeavouring to evoke a no-Popery cry, when it thought it could serve its purpose to do so. Once upon a time we might, perhaps, have been concerned on account of this, but the day when the Star could do us, or anyone else, much mischief is passed. Its character for wooden-headed and antiquated bigotry, both in politics and religion, is well known and universally appreciated. If, for example, the present Government is discredited, and with few friends in these parts, it is the advocacy of the Star that is mainly accountable for this state of things. For some years, according to the Star, the Atkinsos Government has never committed a political or administrative fault, or even blunder has indeed, possessed all public virtues, whereas the Opposition has had neither brains, nor knowledge, nor patriotism, nor even common sense. This sort of advocacy has produced its natural result in the disgust and want of confidence felt by nearly all men in the south towards the Atkinson Ministry. This is a patent fact, and yet the Star cannot see it any more than it can see that its absurd course on the education question is making it ridiculous. This paper solemnly assures the public that the expense of education is not so great after all, — only £250,000 per annum. Whereas all who really understand the question know that this expense is little under £500,000 a year, and that during the last six years the country has spent nearly £3,000,000 in giving a free and godless education to the children of people who for the most part have been well-to-do people. The Star is also blind to the fact that this system is not only unjust to the Colony as a whole, but specially unjust and tyrannical to the Catholics. The Star can Bee no injustice in excluding Catholic children from all participation in the expenditure of money contributed by their parents, no wrong in preventing Catholic children from holding scholarships provided by the public at large. But everybody who has mind, heart, and experience can see it. Ihe Premier sees it, Mr. Ormond sees it, even Mr. Greek admits it. Mr. Pyke's constituents, who elected him without opposition, see it. Leading politicians everywhere throughout the Colony see it, but the Star remains still stupid and impenitent. Its clinching argument, as appears from its issue of .Wednesday evening last, is grand. The Star solemnly assures, the public that the Minister of Education said that justice could not be done to Catholics because justice to them meant the destruction of the present system of education. What a heaven-sent system this is in the eyes of the Star — this godless and extravagant system which is destroying the Christian principles of the rising generation, and beggaring the country. But who is this infallible Minister of Education before whose dictum all must bow down in perfect submission. The two last Ministers were Mr. Rollesxon and Mr. Dick the one the rejected of Avon, the other hanging in the balance. How ridiculous of any journal to cap the climax of its argument with the ipse dixit of either Mr. Bollesxon or Mr. Dick, men whose obstinacy is only equalled by their blind bigotry against Catholic schools. Such is a specimen of the logic and mental calibre of the Star when discussing the education question ;