NOT OUT OF THE WOOD YET.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 28, 4 November 1887, Page 18

NOT OUT OF THE WOOD YET.

UR new Premier has given the country the mind of his Ministry in reference to retrenchment, taxation, and public works; md everyone is now aware of his policy as it appears in words. Until these words, however, are embodied in Acts of Parliament, and actual work done, people will feel themselves in the agonies of doubt. The counti y has had more than one trial of Major Atkinson «nd has i heard more than once of cutting down salaries, and of retrenchment generally, but it remembers that the cut-down salaries were very soon restored to the old figure ; and they will ask themselves if he now sees his way to retrench in the Civil Service to the extent of £250,000 why did he not adopt this policy during the many years he formerly held office as Premier and Treasurer? This consideration makes people hesitate before they put faith in his new promises or believe in the sincerity of his sudden conversion to the ways of economy. The postponement of the tariff question and his deprecation of haste in a matter of the utmost urgency afford additional reason for hesitation. Real eco .omists and real statesmen are alarmed at the policy which practically leaves the education vote at the figure of last year, that is something more than half a million sterling ; for the promise to cut down the vote some sixty thousand pounds only in reality _ that the vote of last year shall not be increased this year This is no relief; it is only abstention from imposing an additional burden. But what is to be thought of the Btatemanship of a would-be economical Minister, ww I™,1 ™, in days of depression and when people generally are cla curing for retrenchment, coolly proposes to tax the community to the tune of five hundred thousand pounds in orde. that a free edueain the banks of the Colony of between^eight and ten millions sterling ? This is not merely an absurd policy ; it is insane. It is nothing short of a scandal that the public should be compelled to pay for the free education of the children of people possessed of such enormous wealth. Why in the very savings banks there are one million and a half of deposits so that it is clear that notwithstanding dearth of employment in some quarters and dulness in business, even the working men as a body are not so extremely badly off. And yet it is for a people so favourably circumstanced that the entire community is to be taxed. Why the real meaning of this taxation ig that wen well able to pay fur the education of their children may b> enabled to put more and more money in the savings and other banks of the country It is this wild, extravagant expenditure of public money that has led to the financial difficulties of the Government and now threatens to put a stop to all public works. If the Ministry had only wisdom and courage enough to inaugurate a rational and just system of education, under which all should be compelled to educate their children and to pay for such education when able, our financial difficulties would vanish at once. And why not do this ? There is really no reason. Catholics manage to educate their own children at their own expense. What is to prevent all others from doing likewise. To be sure there are some who are unable to pay for the education of their children. In such cases, let the Government pay for their education, just as now there are some destitute children for whom the Government provides —We had written the above when the news arrived that by a majority of two a committee of the House of Representatives, had been instructed to enquire whether State aid can be given to denominational schools in large centres of population without injuring the State system of education and whether it is advisable that the Bible should be read in schools. Certainly this is a step in advance. But we fear much will not come of it. It looks to us as a move on the part of the opponents of Bible-in-schools to defeat the Bible-in-schools people by throwing the red herring of aid to Catholic schools across the path. No better course can he adopted by those who are opposed to Bible-reading in school than to make such reading dependent on aid to denominational schools. Many Who would vote for the reading of the Bible will oppose it tor fear that by so doing they should in any way even indirectly nelp Catholics to obtain justice. Something, however favourable to our claims may result from the labours of this committee, and it will be wise, therefore, to wait before pronouncing a decided opinion. The names of the gentlemen 1 tfc« committee do not afford miwh woouragemenfc, as

amongst these we find the names of several pronounced opponents of justice to Catholics. We need not particularise them ; everyone who has been an attentive reader of the newspapers will be able to put his finger on the names of the Members who have pronounced against aid to Catholic schools either in the House or on the hustings. Here we Laay observe that Mr. Fulton has brought in a Bill in which there is a clause which makes Bible-reading in public Pchools compulsory on all who do not object. This is sheer tyranny. What right has Mr. Fulton;, or any man, to compel Catholic children, for example, to read his Bible if their parents should forget or neglect, perhaps through inadvertence or ignorance, to forward to the school teacher an objection to Bible-reading in the case •{ their children? This provision of Mr. Fulton's Bill is, therefore, intended to invade the right of Catholics, indeed of all parents. If Mr. Fulton wished to act with even the semblance of fairness he would have so worded his Bill as to say that the Bible should be read only by the children of parents who expressed a wish that their children should read it. But no ; Mr. Fulton will, if he can, catch all the timid, and unwary, and neglectful, and impose on them the legal obligation of violating their conscience. It is such extravagance and folly as this that defeat the projects of men like Mr. Fulton. But we started with the consideration of the Premier's policy, and behold we have been discussing the education question. This question, however, arises naturally from the consideration of Major Atkinson's speech, and is the oce which interests us most amongst all the questions raised by bim. It enters also into the financial question, which is at present the question of questions with the people of this Colony. We hold, as we have ever held, that all the financial difficulties of the Government have been brought about by the folly and absurd extravagance of our education system, and that it will be in vain to expect amelioration till it is swept off the face of the earth and replaced by a rational and just system, under which the rights of all will be recognised and the discharge of duty on the part of all be insisted on. As to the policy generally of the Government, enough has not been said to enable us to pronounce a decided opinion, and we shall, therefore, await with considerable anxiety further developments. Major Atkinson's speech is able ; this much may be said without hesitation, but whether his policy will succeed is another thing. We fear, however, the Colony is not yet out of the wood.

On Tuesday the Feast of All Saint Masses were celebrated in St, Joseph's Cathedral at 7 and 8 a.m. At 11 a.m. Pontifical High Mass took place, the Bishop acticg as celebrant with the Rev. Father "Vereker as deacon, the Rev. Father Donnelly, sub-deacon, and the Rev. Father Lynch, master of ceremonies. The music wai sung by the choir of the Dominican nuns. In the evening there we're vespers and benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the sermon being preached by the Bishop. On Wednesday, All Fouls' Day, solemn office for the dead and High Mass of Requiem were celebrated at 7 a.m., the Bishop being celebrant ; the Rev. Fathers Vereker and Donnelly, deacon and subdeacon respectively ; the Rev. Father Purton, 0.5.8., master of ceremonies ; and the Rev. Father Lynch, priest assistant. On both occasions the attendance of the Catholic laity was full, and the number of communicants especially remarkable. Indeed, it is evident that the good works of the Dunedin cun^ gregation do not proceed from custom or any inferior motive, bu^|H the fruits of a genuine and most practical faith.; The true source, f^Q example, from which the erection of St. Joseph's Cathedral sprung may be witnessed, during the Masses celebrated there, at the foot of the altar— and this far more than the beauties of the architecture or adornments, great though they be, forms the glory of the building.

The new Catholic church at Mosgiei will be opened on Sunday, the 13th inst. Arrangements will be made to suit the convenience of visitors, and of which we shall give particulars in our next issue. A new church at Orepuki also will be dedicated on Sunday the 27th inst. We would, meantime, remind our readers of the ceremony to take place at St. Leonard's on Sunday next, and to which we referred in our last issue,

According to the Rev. Mr. Kirkland it is a grave offence for a man, or at least for a divine, to give God thanks that he|abides as an individual and does not become indefinitely multiplied. The Eev. Dr. Stuart in reply to some remark made at the Presbyterian Synod, it appears, ejaculated, " God forbid that I should be the Synod," on which Mr. Kirkland protested that a most offensive statement had been made and called upon the Doctor to withdraw it. Apart from all duties of being content, nevertheless, with the state in which God hto placed as and duly thankfal tkt it, fftfc Dottbr may b» bflt com*

pletely justified for his frame of mind. His predicament would indeed, be strange were he to be conscious within him of the comEmotions the privilege he deprecates, so much to Mr. Kirkland's indig- * nation, must produce, and it might be a difficult task for him to reassure himself concerning his identity. To form a whole Presbyterian Synod in himself might prove too much for the constitution of a Goliah and wculd be a situation overwhelming in its contradictions.

Dr. Copland in speaking in the Presbyterian Synod expressed himself as unable to see how the Catholic claims in education had any reasonable connection with the refusal to permit of Bible-reading in the schools. It BLould, however, require but little acuteness to perceive the in juutice and oppression of taking the money of Catholic 8 for the purpose of applying it tc the diiect teaching of the Protestant religion, whioa is identical with the reading of the Bible among the sects. It might also be easily perceived that it would be a grievous violation of the liberty of Catholics to compel them to support a method of employing Holy vVrft which they look upon as a breach of the divine law, and which their Church condemns. The injustice of all this is even more clear than that of compelling Catholics to support the godless system — evident as that must be to all unprejudiced and uninterested men.

That was a bold acknowledgement made the other day at the Anglican Synod by the Rev. A. R. Fitchett. " The Church," he said, " had charge of education in former times, and should not be afraid to go back to those times. He went on to argue that before the Reformation, the Churca, whi^h then had charge of education, did the work well, and that after the Reformation there was a great falling o£ in the education of the people, especially the lower orders." This as we have said, was a brave acknowledgment, and even if the rev, speaker erroneously confounded the Cnurch that educated the world before the Reformation with that institution which arose from the Reformation, he should not lose the credit due to his candour.

The financial statement as made by Major Atkinson on Tuesday evening estimates the deficit for the current year at a total of about £399,500. Retrenchment is to be vigorously undertaken, and among its chief features are to be redactions in the cose of the Governor to the Colony, in the salaries of Ministers, and in the honorarium paid to members of both Chambers. A Bill will be introduced, moreover to reduce, at the end of the present Parliament, the members of the House of Representatives to 70. Ihesalaries of civil servauts will not be reduced but consideration will be given to the possibility of reducing their numbers. A saving of about £60,000 in the expenditure on education will be brought about by limiting the capitation grant to £3 15s, and by giving no capiLation in the cases of children under cix years of age. Provision, however, will be made not, on this account, to close any country school. An increase in the property tax to Id will take piace, but there will be no revision of the tariff until next year. In hd lition to the North Island Main Trunk Railway loan, a loan of £1,000,*00 will be proposed for the completion of woiks already begun, Government giving a pledge to borrow no more for a period of three years from March 31st, 1888. The Priemier gives hopeful promises of energetic and liberal measures for the •ettlement of, tne lands, and of a due attention to the mining industry whose imp.df'tance he particularly recognises. 10fa?a understand that preparations are being made by the young lafies of the Dominican convent schools, Dunedin, for a concert Which will oe given in St. J ,seph'd schoolrojm at the cud of the present month. The object is to clear off a poruon of the debt arising from the recent changes in the room which is still due, and this together with the attractions of the programme in preparation •hould draw a full attendance.

We have received the following telegram from Airow :— The Gallant Tipperary Company 'a return from 60 tons of stone was 103ots. amalgam from plates only. This coiapiny intend clearing up about middle of this month whea a very satisfactory return is expected. The stone still continues to improve in quality, and the battery will be kept going all the season.

The declaration of no dividend made in Auckland last week at the half-yearly meeting of the B mk of New Zealand has been a Topic of much interest. It is, of course admitted on all sides that the matter has its grave aspect, as, had thj condition of the Colony been prosperous, noting „f the kind would have occurred. But it is also pronounced that the prudence of rhu step taken is most reassuring ss to the present position and futun- prospects of the Bank. The Directors have not only proved themselves men of courag ■ and resolution in voluntarily encountering a situation that must ue^ds be more or less unpopular, but they We given, by their boldness an earnest of the confidence they erue.'la n in the stability of the institution they conduct. The shareholders, many of whom will doubtless suffer some inconvenience, may, thereh re, find ra >re than one cmisoUtion, nod

may congratulate themselves that their interests are in such careful and conscientious keeping.

Bisho* Moban (says the Dunedin Evening Star, of October 29) has now been resident amongst us for about eighteen years, aad it is not too much to s-iy that his high character and his unswerving consistency to principle have won the respect of the people generally even of those who disagree with him most distinctly on some vital questions. Into these questions or any debateable matter connected therewith or otherwise, it is not our purpose to enter. The occasion which dictates what we have to say altogether excludes any such reference. The Roman Catholics of Otago have for some time had it in contemplation to mark their sense of what their chief pastor has done for them during the course of his episcopate, in a manner worthy of him and of themselves, and the opportunity was taken of Dr. Moran'e absence in Australia to bring the matter to a point. A money testimonial was, for good and sufficient reasons, decided onCatholic prelates, it has to be recollected, have no revenues beyond l he contributions of their flocks — and in the short space of six weeks the sum of £1,140 was collected, which was handed to the Bishop on Wednesday evening, The most gratifying testimonial, however, was n«t this, nor was it comprised in the several addresses expressive of the warmest feelingg of regard and affection which were presented, but rather we conceive, the immense gathering of his people who thronged to the Cathedral to do their bishop honour. There can b e no question that Dr. Moran thoroughly deserves all honour that they can give him. He has through a long series of years devoted himself to their service, and has done much to elevate their religion and social status. They have, thanks to his exertions, churches and schools all over the provincial district, and in Dunedin a material portion of the magnificent C -thedral, which in the future will adorn the City, j t need hardly be said that on the education question we entirely differ from the Bishop ; but we do not the less respect him for the position he unflinchingly maintains, and for acting as he does, up to his principles.

The session, if it proceeds as it has began, promises to be a busy and useful one for the colony generally. The manner in which the Government have taken up the Midland Railway and evidently mean to push it forward is much to be commended. A possibly hopeful step alaoseemsto be the appointment of a committee to consider th c question of reductions in the educational expenditure, as well astha claims of denominational schools.and of those sections of the community who desire the introduction of Bible-reading. The support given by the House to the second reading of Sir George Grey's Law Practi. tioners Bill is, on the other hand, much to be regretted. Should such a measure become law the worst results must follow. Another source of temptation, for example, would be added to draw young men away from the more necessary branches of colonial industry and labour, and the number of the seekers afier light and genteel occupations would be increased by the pi o vision of another opening. An army of greedy, half-educated, and incapable.lawyers, moreover, would be turned loose upon the population, and the growth of litigiousness would b e promoted. Many abuses in the administration of law, such as we frequently hear of as occurring in America, would also take place. And all this would be risked or certainly brought about for the very chimerical purpose of affording a path to genius that must otherwise bejepressed. But true geoius never can be kept beneath the surface. We, hope, therefore', that the Bill in question may once more suffer the only fate it deserves. Indpei, already too much favour has been shown to it.

The newest and strangest assjeiation of the hour ia that of dynamite with bronchitis. An inquest held on a man who died the other day in London revealed the rather ordinary fact that he bad died of bronchitis, and also seems, in a manner not quite so ordinary to have revealed a connection between the deceased and the dynamite faction that, as a reality or an imagination, exists in America. We do not pretend to understand the matter, but merely attempt to unravel as much as possible of the mystery that has appeared in print. The police, however, as we understand, glorify themselves by taking credit for dispersing a conspiracy that had been set on foot for the purpose of salting the recent Jubilee celebrations on every side with dynamite, and whose members seem to have been travelling in a promiscuous eort of manner all over Europe. But fortunately the London police, as they say at least, went with them, and forcing them to keep moving on, made them spend all their funds, and, being thus starved out, to return to America. The whole affair, in short", seems not quite credible. But are doctors henceforward, as a rule, to look upon thair patients who suffer from bronchitis as suspicious invalids ?

There is fresh justification for Mr. Gladstone's statement at Nottingham that the dealing of the Unionist party with Ireland might be stigmatised as impertinent, in Lord Hartington's assurance made the other day at Truro, that the Irish people must abandon the

idea of obtaining a national parliament. Impertinence is indeed the chief characteristic of such a warning given by a man who i 8 about openly to become a member of the party whose days cf power are wrely Una ited. The decision rests with the true Liberals whom Lord Hartington has deserted, and with whom his influence is lost forever

Another kint, besides that given us by the jubilant toae of tbe French Press, that the Government of Lord Salisbury have put their foot in it by their concessions concerning the Suez Canal, reaches us in tbe report that Russian and French newspaper begin to urge the neut. raliiing of Gibraitar. Such a step is evidently the complement of the neutralisation of the canal, and may be claimed with even a greater ■how of justice. England's special interest in the canal she holds by right of purchase, but the possession of Gibraltar is owing to force which may be met by force, and to treaties which, according to the tacit international understanding of the day, are binding only so long as none of the powers concerned finds it both advisable and possible to depart from them. A display of weakness then on tho part of England would very naturally be followed by a demand such as that Bussian and French organs suggest, and we may probably conclude that something of the kind is considered to have occurred .

The researches of the British Association, which this year assembled on August 31 at Manchester, have resnlted in giving rather a gloomy view of matters in general. Dr. Milner Fothergill, for example, throws a sinister light on that tendency of the times which, caused, amongst the rest, and perhaps principally caused, by the advance of popular education, leads to the gathering of the people into the towns. He pronounces its effects to be a reversion of the human body to an earlier and lowl'er ethnic form. We do not know whether the Doctor can make good his statement that during tb c middle ages the weak of both sexes ware provided for in the cloisters, for there is gocd authority for maintaining that the religious houses possessed those who in every respect were the very flower of the population. But, doubtless, he is right in affirming that in those ages healthy children were the offspring of healthy parents, and that the race was more physically vigorous. And it may be admitted, as a Idoubtful benefit that food of costly preparation, as he says, now enables the children of the weakly to be reared, so that the deterioration of the race is promoted. Mr. Hambleton, again, aided to the nombre aspect of things described by Dr. Fothergill in his declaration that consumptive conditions were on the increase. And, finally, Mr. Giffen made known a frame of mind pervading the nation generally which might well characterise by its despondency and absence of hypefulness a people in their phyt-ical decline He stated th-jt, a though, notwithstanding some comparative falling off from former years, the commercial condition of the country was fairly prosperous, a general doubtfulness concerning it prevailed, together with a feeling of "depression that could not be removed. On the whole, then.Jas we have B aid, th 3 conditions of the period as exhibited by the British Association seem far from cheerful.

The sentence of three months imprisonment passed en Mr. O.Brien at Mitchelstown has be« n confirmed, on appeal, at Middleton, where a lively scene is said to have taken place, Mr. O'Brien resisting, by way of protest we conclude, the police who arrested him. The Pall Mall Gazette, recently speaking of Mr. O'Brien, alluded to him as follows : — " This poor journalist is rapidly being recognised as one of the ablest of English-speaking men. As a writer, as an orator, and as the le ider of the great national movement, Mr. W. O'Brien is the most typical Irishman alive." And we have no doubt that he will still prove a typical Irishman in the brave and uudauuted spirit with which he will endure imprisonment. But as the work of incarceration wean u>w fairly begun, it only remains for the people to crowd tin; cells to their utmost capacity, as Mr. Davitt has recommended, and leave those multitudes who remain without to continue the agitation necessarily unhindered.

The latest Evangelical development in England appears to be that of the Glory Hole at Brighton— wnich. however, is called by the "Army of the Lord," who possess it " The Sanctuary of Jehovah. 1 ' The worship is of rather a tumultuous kind, and consists in grear put of violent dancing, which is chiefly performed by girls, but sometimes ■hared even by men of rather advanced years. There are, besides visions and prophecies, and gifts of healing, and much else that is ■piritual. Visitors do not find it altogether easy to gain admission and are liable to be turned out at a moment's notice most unceremoni . ously, and, indeed, under loudly expressed suspicion of having brought in a devil in their company, or something of the kind. The Army of the Lord deny that any indecency occurs in their meetings, or that they in any way sanction immorality, of both of which they were accused They seem to be a rather advanced branch of the Salvation Army— and as that organisation goes to pieces, as sooner or later it must, we ■hall doubtless sea many such developments.

Professor BALDWiN.who recently died in Ireland.deserves grateful remembrance as one of the original sub-commissioners under the

Land Act of JBBI, who ehowed himself of a friendly disposition towards the tenantry. His decisions were complained of by the landlords as too favourable to the people, but subsequent events bat« shown that, although a good deal was gained by them, much still was ' left to desire. Professor Baldwin, however, acted with all the jnstice and impartiality that lay in his power.

Signob Cribpi has given an illustration of the a lroit malice by which he is inspired, in an order issued by his Government to prohibit all but born Italians from presenting themselves at the annmal •xaminations for the teacher's diploma ;in Rome. The aim of this enactment is to cripple the teaching powers of the religious orders, who possess many members that are not natives of Italy. The unfairness of the measare is evident from the fact that the ichools from whioh Buch teachers are to be shut out are those maintained by the Pope, ana the Catholics of the city. But what a light it also throws on the pretence made by the revolutionary party, of which Crispi is an adherent, to esteem the members of every nationality alike, and to cherish a common brotherhood of all mankind,

Tbe fact that the Ballycoree meeting was proclaimed under the common law, and not by the provisions of the Coercion Act, which do not allow of an interference with the right of lawful public meeting, must tend to make the cause of the Irish people still more evidently one with that of the English masses. What has been done in Ireland to-day may be done in England to-morrow, where the right of public meeting is very fully exercised, and by no means always, as we see, with the good will of the Government. The English people can haidly afford to let the matter pass unnoticed.