A LESSON OF THE LATE ELECTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 27, 29 October 1886, Page 15

A LESSON OF THE LATE ELECTION.

The contest for the Dunedin Central seat in the House of Representatives, which took place a few days ago, is instructive. There were four candidates ; — one did not deny he supported Mr. Pyke's Bill ; another declared such action as Mr. Bracken's in reference to this Bill unpardonable ; a third was at first prepared to follow Mr. Bracken's example, but subsequently adopted Mr. Hutchison's programme and declared himself in favour of our present school system. It is not necessary to delay in considering the principles of the fourth as he succeeded in polling only three votes. Mr. Bracken polled a great many more votes than all his opponents put together, so that it may be concluded that the opposition to Mr. Pyke's Bill is neither so general nor so rabid as it used to be. This is something, but not much. Under Mr. Pyke's Bill, private schools, if they should become nearly as godless as the public schools as possible, would be entitled to a capitation grant, but should be excluded from all participation in the school building fund. Finding it useless to make the attempt, Mr. Pyke did not propose to place all citizens on a footing of equality so far as his Bill was concerned. Secularists were to be still in the ascendant, and to be supported at the expense of all classes. Secularism is now in the nscendancy, and is empowered by law to levy black mail on all members of the community. 1 rusting in this and fancying that the old tyrannical spirit was still rampant in Dunedin Central, and prepared to sacrifice every principle to the maintenance of this ascendancy, Mr. Hutchison made a bold bid for the votes of all bigots, plunderers, and idiots; but In; has found to his cost that these are not now nearly as numerous as they used to be. We do not think that Catholics have any chance of obtaining justice at the hands of the voters of Dunedin Central ; but it is pretty evident that the truculence and unreasoning bigotry of a few j^irs ago do not now find favour with them. Mr. Hutchison is now, it is to be hoped, a wiser man than wh'n he began his canvas. Surely experience must have produced some effect upon his mental vision. He will hardly again endeavour to oust an opponent on the ground of his support of some such Bill as Mr. Pyke's. Js it not time the people should throw overboard such candidates as Mr. Hutchison who try to ride into the House of Representatives on (bt

bigotry and injustice of the least capable and reputable portion of a constituency ? Everybody ought to know these men, and be convinced that it is not principle but interest that guides them. Were the Dunedin Central constituency in favour of denominational education, would Mr. Hutchison ask their votes on the plea that his opponent was disposed to grant them a small modicum of justice ? What we mean is that, were the picture reversed, many men who are now, for a season at least, rabid, unreasoning secularists, would be, in the altered circumstances, enthusiastic denominationalists ; so that it is not principle that guides them, but what they think will secure their election to Parliament. We do not say Mr. Hutchison is one of these, but we ask the question, instigated thereto by our experience of some candidates, whose names we do not mention on the ground that nemo tenetur ad inutile. It would be well if the tax-payers would be at the trouble of reading the last report of the Education Department. They will find in this report sufficient reasons for asking themselves the question : Do we pay more than the Act requires for average attendance, and what is really the value of the reports of school inspectors ? These are two very important questions, and appeal directly to that instinct in human nature which tells us to beware of harpies.

The Most Rev. Dr. Moran visited Queenstown on Sunday October 10, and assisted by the Rev. Father Mackay, pastor of the district, conducted the exercises of the jubilee during the ensuing week. On Sunday tho 17th inst his lordship visited the Arrow where facilities were also given to the congregation for fulfilling the conditions of the jubilee. The attendance in both places was numerous. On Sunday the 24 inst. his Lordship officiated in Invercargill where he adminstrated the sacrament of confirmation to 86 recipients. The Bishop returned to Dunelin on Tuesday. The Rev. Messrs. Donnelly and Hunt, young ecclesiastics about to be ordained to the priesthood for service on the Dunedin mission, arrived at Port Chalmers by the s.p. Tarawera from Melbourne on Tuesday, as did also the Rev. Fathers M'Kenna and Prendergast, whose destina tion is the diocese of Wellington. The Dominican community at Dunedin has been reinforced by the arrival from Ireland of two nuns belonging to the Order, who arrived at the Bluff by the s. s. Tarawera from Melbourne on Monday The ladies proceeded thence to Invsrcargill where they were entertained at the Dominican convent, conning on to Dunedin, in company with his Lordship the Bishop, by train on Tuesday. We are happy to welcome the good nuns to the scene of those labours in the cause of education and religion, that have been pursued so zealously and with so much success by the members of the community they have come to join. Thebk is nothing like going the whole hog; when you are about it at all — We have already bad occasion to refer to the editor of the San Francisco Argonaut, as an aivanced specimen of a class of journalists more easy to imagine than describe — a class that sets down everything in malice, and has never heard of extenuation. — But it would take a Yankee brother in Texas, or other unimaginable regions) to describe this editor by virtue of a pair of well loaded revolvers and a bowie knife or two. We can command no language that cannot be defended by the pen alone. Our indescribable scribe now comes forward to accuse Mr. Gladstone of complicity in the undertakings of the dynamiters. He shrieks a3 follows :: — '• Dynamite has been sent to England for use, and has been used, and used in tbe most cowardly endeavour to blow up prisons, bridges, railroad depot? the Houses of Parliament and public offices. Irishmen from America have been found in ambush, lying in wait to take life, and murders have been perpetrated in Ireland by Americans of Irish birth. Shall Mr. Gladstone or Mr. Campbell Bannerman, or the Irish Secretary of Mb Administration, or any of the keen-witted and able politicians who fought with him in the Home Rule conflict, pretend that they did not know of these things in America? They did know of them. Mr Gladstone knew of them, and he and they encouraged them, and connived at them ; because, knowing of them and having the power to arrest them, they made no effort to do so, and took no step in that direction." It is to the credit of certain of the soldiers quartered in Ireland that they seem disgusted with the work required of them. Some of the men belonging to Prince Albert's regiment quartered at Birr have been arrested for refusing to assist at evictions. On September Ist, moreover, a party of men belonging to the Irish fusiliers were attacked by the mob in Armagh for making use of expressions that these good folk considered disloyal. According to the report of a schooner just returned to Auckland from the South Sea Islands, the Tarawera eruptions were marked far out at sea by showers of mud. The rigging and deck of the vessel were covered with this during the prevalence if a south-westerly gale on June 11.

The hopes that; had been based upon the prospecting expedition to Big Bay have been somewhat damped by the return to Invercargill of half-a-dozen of the party, who declare that there is nothing to be discovered worth speaking of, and that the ground has already been worked. A meeting of the Dunedia Catholic Literary Society will take place on Wednesday next, 3rd November, when a paper will be read by the Secretary on " The Fallacies of Protection." The meeting will be held, a3 usual, in the Christian Brothers' schoolroom, Rattray street. Anyone taking an interest in the question is invited. The state of Europe still continues doubtful, but there is as yet nothing to guide us in forming even a probable opinion aa to whether a war is about to occur. Russia, France, and Turkey, it is said, have combined to enforce the withdrawal of the English from Egypt, and this undoubtedly, if true, must be a source of some uneasiness. Lord Randolph Churchill, meantime, has returned from his tour on the Continent, and of the reception and encouragement given to him there by the statesmen he went to consult, we may judge from the fact that he recommends the British lion to remain eoucJtant, and rather with his tail between his legs than otherwise. He says England must take no decided part in the Eastern agitation.— Lord Randolph, however, is cheerful, if not bold, with respect to Ireland where, says he, rents are being fairly paid and crime is decreasing.— Tbe Tories, however, have no intention of granting Home Rule. But as for that, nous verrons. There are at present in one of the gaols of this colony three 1 ' Catholic boys." One, with an Irish name, says that several years ago he attended a Catholic school for a very short period,and afterwards two secular schools each for a long period. The second, Scotch by birth has never attended either a Catholic school or church in New Zealand ' but says he was at a Catholic school in Scotland ten years ago, when he was six years of age— others of Mb family being at the same time members of a well known Presbyterian congregation. The third with an English name, is known to a good many people in the town where he is a prisoner, and every one of these knows that he has never attended either a Catholic church or Catholic school, or been a Catholic even by name- Not one of these boys knows a word of the Catholic catechism, or can repeat a Catholic prayer. And such is the basis of those statistics that the gallant knight our Premier cooks occasionally for the promotion of godlessness, and whose pub. lication he repeats, like the honourable gentleman he is, even when it has been proved to him beyond all controversy that they are completely false. It is evident that the trick long prevalent among the criminal classes in Great Britain of entering themselves as Catbolicß when sentenced to gaol is also in vogue in these colonies. Whence the practice arises it is hard to say— perhaps from the reputation of tnose pious exercises which worthy Evangelical chaplains or visitors introduce among the Protestant piisoners. But it plays well into the hand of the advocates of godlessness. We would venture to remind our readers that prompt payments make long friends. We desire that our subscribers should entertain the best possible opinion of us, therefore we do all we can to make our paper suit their tastes, and we are quite sure that they also, like well disposed people, are desirous that we should hold them severally and collectively in the highest esteem. Now we are not particularly mercenary, but a certain degree of attention to ways and means is necessary to everyone, and we must acknowledge that we are not independent of euch considerations. We shall, therefore, take it as particularly becoming in our subscribers, and as a course of conduct that stamps them with a notable superiority, if they will kindly Bettle tlieir accounts with us at regular and not too long intervals. A failure to do so on the part of some of them is the only thing we know to their prejudice, and that can be removed by them any day they like. We hope that day will arrive very speedily. We have received from the Hon. Secretary of the Lyell branch of the National League, a draft for £80 14s to be forwarded in aid of the national cause. This handsome subscription does infinite honour to the generous patriotism of the Lyell Irishmen. But it is no more than we had expected of them. Oub contemporary the Evening EevaU publishes a whole quire of paper on protection, that had been rejected by the Tablet. The writer, Mr. J. M. Twomey, of Temuka, thinks because of this rejection that we are afraid of the light, and want to keep our dupes in ignorance. But too much light, you know, is what we object to. An unmitigated blaze of the electric fluid would knock the eye out of an eagle, and since Mr. J. M. Twomey chose to let his light shine by the yard, he fairly flabbergasted us.— Nay, Mr. Twomey would have given us furlongs of light, for he suggested that the volumes published by the Herald wer« but ibe beginning of a whole lucent series, enough to make a pamphlet of ever so many pages. Had Mr. Twomey sent us the substance of hia voluminous essay in a couple of dozen lines, as any one can see, who preserves his understanding after reading Mr. Twomey's letter, he could quite easily have done, we should willingly ha^e published it. And if we have dupes whose ignorance we cultivate, that is no reason why we should be the means of allowing any one else to moider them, as Mr. Twomey's production

undoubtedly must. " A merciful man," they say, "is merciful to his beast." Meantime, we do not consider the question of Protection settled, nor have we pronounced ourselves the determined advocates of Freetrade. — We gave some arguments in its favour that seemed to us of especial strength, but without pledging ourselves finally to them. We remain fully open to conviction. As a conclusion to the week 'a drill of the Dunedin Huzzars, a church parade was held at Tahuna Park on Sunday, in which, besides the huzzars, the City Guards and the North Dunedin, Waikari, South Dunedin, Highland, Caversham, and Irish, Rifles cook pait. The volunteers -were headed on. their march out from town by the Ordnance Band, waich '.appropriately played the Gloria from Mozart's 12th Mass. The Rev. Father Purton 6.5.8., officiated for the Irish Corps, reciting the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, and delivering a short, but suitable address. There were present Captain Callan, Lieutenants Graham and Fairbairn, Color-sergeant Carroil, Sergeants JMaloney, Robinson, Keligher and Murray, and 50 rank and file. " Thirty thousand women of Ulster attached their signatures to a petition praying their Queen not to assent to the Government o* Ireland Bill. The Bishop of Down, Connor, and Dromore is among the first on the petition ." So writes an Ulster newspaper. But did they not tell us the other day, up in Wellington, that their mothers and wives were Orangemen ? Small wonder there should be fighting and divisions, and confusion among a community that does not know one sex from another, andjjeannot assign to either their proper place and duties. The Welsh farmers justify their refusal to pay tithes by the great fall in the prices of agricultural produce. As an illustration, one farmer gave a correspondent of the Dublin Freeman the following particulars :— " Calves which four years ago sold for £10 would not now realise £5. Butter at the same time was worth 4d to 6d per pound more, corn realised a much iower rate now, and there was a corresponding failure in every produce of the farm." — The unfortunate parsons, meantime, sympathise with the people in their distress, but declare themselves unable to transfer the burden to their own shoulders. " I had the advantage of a personal interview with the vicar of Llanfair," says the correspondent. " The Rev, Basil M. Jonee, ia the most courteous manner, gave me a succinct story of the tithes agitation in his parish. The farmers, he said demanded 25 per cent, reduction and three months' credit in which to pay the balance. He replied that he could not see his way to grant their request. He heartily sympathised with them, and was perfectly willing to help individuals suffering especial hardships. He repeated his profier at a subsequent interview. He was distraining on one farm, and some other farmers have received the ten dayB 1 notice. Should these refuse to pay the tithes, he should have to distrain on them. He had heard that 25 tithe-payers in his parish had bound themselves not to pay except under distraiut. He thought the agricultural depression was made use of as a stalking-horse, and that the real object of the agitation was an attack upon the Church by the Nonconformists, and that was the reason why the clergy were not willing to give in. There had been no unpleasant scenes between himself and the farmers. Courtesy had existed en both sides, and he had been particularly careful not to introduce any element of irritation. The tithe is 22 per cent, lower than it was 11 years ago. That had not been taken into account by the farmers, who say that is only what the law compels the clergy to do. But, added the vicar, the farmers are the gainers by it, and we thought it rather hard to be called upon to make a reduction under these circumstances. This year, owing to the averages, the tithe rent charge iB nine and a-half per cent, below the commutation value, and will, doubtless, be lower next year. There is another fact which ought not to be lost sight of, and that is that the clergy are very heavily rated, averaging to pay at least 10 per cent, of their income in rates. There was a meeting of the clergy of the rural deanery held at Ruthen to consider this tithe question, and the clergy of the districts affected had also held a private meeting within the last month. I may simply inform you that we were unanimous as to the necessity of being firm in the matter. The interview then terminated." A good deal of fuss was lately made concerning the conduct of an assistant in a Government school near Sandhurst, Victorin, who made use of his crucifix in admonishing one of his pupils. — Con-. sidering the offence given to the irreligious genius of the schools, it *»as thought, moreover, that the Minister for Education had acted with great clemency in sentencing the teacher to removal only, instead of dismissal. It turns out, however, th.it the '■■v; l ior, in a manner, had the whip-hand of the authorities. It - mbe had discovered the prevalence of immorality of the gross^. ..iud among his pupils, and in the confusion of the moment had aloiost involuntarily appealed to religion for reassurance. Here, meantime, is another case in which we find the true nature of the Godless schools exposed. But never mind, — there is a murder in Spain, or a slaughter in the Sixteenth Century, behind which their advocates can still take refuge. As to the parents of the children frequenting these schools, the stomachs of their morality seem to be by no means weak. It iB impossible to turn them.

It is inevitable that wherever the Catholic Church is interfered with in the exercise of her divine mission among the most notable results is the outbreak of strange and outrageous sects. We had already had an illustration of this rule a few years ago in Italy, in the person of the false Messiah and his followers, who after some eccentric and blasphemous proceedings came into collision with the authorities, and were routed ignominiously, the fanatic leader, if we remember aright, being killed. And now, again, in Calabria, such another sect has arisen under one Gabriel Donnici, who claims to be the deity, and heads a rather numerous baud of adherents in the celebration of obscene ritea and abominable origies. It was for such religious enormities as this, as well as in the cause of atheism, that those good people worked who aided Garibaldi, under the belief that they were opening Italy to their particular Gospel. Protestantism under any of its various forms makes no progress in the country. In another place we publish an account of the drawing of an art-union at Hawera, as well as a list of the winning numbers. The Bey. Father Mulvihill is much to be congratulated on the success that continues to attend on his labours in the cause of religion and education. A concert will be given in the Garrison Hall, Dunedin, on November 16, by the pupils of the Dominican Convent High School* assisted by those of Mr. F. Leech's Violin School, and under that gentleman's conductorship. The success that marked previous concerts thus given is a certain guarantee for the character of that now planned. The object, besides, which the undertaking is intended to serve, namely, that of converting the old church building into class-rooms in connection with St. Joseph's School, is an excellent one. The accommodation to be thus provided is much needed, and it is to be hoped that all those who are interested in Catholic education in this city will do their utmoat to aid in insuring a successful result on the occasion alluded to. A coebespondknt informs us that report has been incorrect in representing Mr. John Fitzgerald of Nebraska, now President of th c Irish National League, bb having been a labouring-man whtn he left Ireland. It seems Mi. Fitzgerald was of a higher position, and took a considerable sum of money with him to America. . The death of Sir Herbert Macphersoa, which is reported a having taken place from fever at Rangoon, will aid something to the difficulty of the situation in Burmah. Sir Herbert's appointment to the chief command in that country, which had just been made, was hailed as an assurance of speedy success, but unfortunately the event has not justified the prediction. The New York Sun Bpeaks as follows of Mr. Gladstone's pamphlet on the Irish question :— " There are few things finer in the history of English statesmen than his reiterated offer of cordial and submissive aid to any party and any Minister that will announce a purpose of conceding the function of self-government to Ireland. That splendid proffer of subordinate, but faithful and vigorous support which, under the smart of a defeat that would have left a smaller man resentful, he made to the Tory Government in December of last year is now unequivocally and solemnly renewed in the book before us. It matters little, so he seems to say, whose name shall figure in the office of Prime Minister when a great act of justice is at last accomplished, but it is of utmost moment to the welfare and cohesion of the empire that the whole scheme and spirit of England's relations to her sister common-wealth shall bo benignly revolutionized." Oub Sandhurst correspondent this week (says the Melbourne Advcate of October 16th), delicately indicates the existence of one of the most hideous of the plague spots by which, in a moral sense, the secular system is everywhere blasted, and though the subject is one which we cannot touch without a strong feeling of repugnance, we cannot avoid referring to it, as it deeply concerns all Catholic parents but more especially those who, under constraint of circumstances or from obduracy to the teaching of the Church, send tbeir children to those moral pest-houses from which Christ and His teaching are excluded. We shall not dwell on a matter to which, from its revolting nature, we can only make veiled allusions. We have indeed little to say of it beyond this-that the necessity for the warnings of the Church is now proved in a manner far more painful than the bitterest enemy of the godless schools could have desired. Yet much as there is in the" revelation to shock us, there is nothing to surprise us, for the experience of other places and the testimony of unimpeachable witneßees had prepared us for the worst possible disclosures If those Catholic parents who are in revolt against the teaching of the Churcb on the Education Question, and are grievously Binnine against their children, are not deterred by this exposure from persevering in their wrong doing, their case would seem almost utterly hopeless. Stronger proof th, y could not have that they are sendiDg their helpless little ones in the direction of an advancing fire which surely consumes both health and innocence.

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