HOW QUALIFIED!

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 5, 31 October 1890, Page 17

HOW QUALIFIED!

T is amusing, and at the same time painful, to read the effusions of certain candidates for Parliamentary honours, and the reader cannot fail to observe the straits to which these candidates are reduced in consequence of bir H. Atkinson's delay in publishing his programme of policy. As a result of this delay the would-be members are without a text, and know not where to turn for a policy. In consequence their addresses are jejune in the extreme. The friends of Government hardly know what to advocate, and its enemies are in a fog and know not where or how to attack. For the sake of friends and enemies Sir H. Atkinson ought to address the public or his former constituents at once. A few candidates, however, in this fog and dearth of topics, in order to have something to say, have struck out wildly on the education question, and notwithstanding innumerable and widely-spread complaints, declare they will oppose all change in the system of public education, and have been most emphatic in their declarations of hostility to Catholic claima. Naturally, these manifestoes have attracted our attention, and engaged us in a study of their reasons for such decided hostility. We find on investigation that their declared reasons are two : Ist, that to concede justice to Catholics would lead to the destruction of our present secular system ; 2nd, that the country cannot afford to incur any additional expense for schools. As to the first, we ask how is it that to aid Catholic and other denominational schools in England and Canada does not destroy the public and secular system in these countries ? And they have assigned no reason why that which is not only possible, but actually existing in these countries, is impossible here. The public has nothing to go by in this matter but the mere assertion of men neither well-informed nor wise. As to the second, our answer is, according to the law at present in force here, Catholic children are entitled as well as other children to an allowance of £4 per head for school purposes, and such amount from the public funds would be bestowed upon their education did they frequent godloss schools. But because Catholics havo schools for their own children, those children are deprived of the sum to which under the law they are entitled. Asking, theiefore, for Catholic schools what the law allows for secular schools is not asking for any sum to which Catholic children are not already entitled by law. All that Catholics ask is that which they could insist upon if they patronised godlessness. In the second place, suppose the denominations withdrew their children to-morrow from Government schools, how would this increase the vote for schools. Even if the entire £4 per head were given, as they ought to be, to denominational schools, the amount of the Government subsidy would remain *it the same amount. Aiding denominational schools would not increase the number of children entitled to £4 each under the law as it stands at present.

The conclusion, therefore, to which every reasonable man is driven is this : That secularists, knowing Catholics would never accept the godless schools, calculated on saving the amount to which Catholic children are entitled, and that they continue to refuse tbe Catholic body justice in order to save the sum of from £40,000 to £80,000 a year. The system was, therefore, established with the specific purpose of robbing Catholics, of taxing them for the purpose of inflicting an enormous injury upon them. This is the inevitable conclusion to which every well-informed and reflecting man is driven by the speeches of certain Parliamentary candidates. These speeches give evidence of deficient knowledge of an important public question, of defective reasoning powers ; or, if not, of a determination, malice prepense, to insult, plunder, and tyrannise over the Catholics of this country. In our opinion, such candidates ought to be hooted off the hustings as either incapables or bigots of the blackest dye.

On Sunday evening, in St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin, the Most Rev. Br. Moran, in preaching from the Gospel of the day, took occasion to allude to the Education question. His Lordship, in explaining the meaning of the precept, " Render unto C;\)3ar the things that are Cseiar's," pointed out that though obedience to the law was, bb a rule, an imperative duty, the State was still capable of framing laws which it would be sinful to obey. The law providing for a secular system of education was an instance of the kind, where Catholics were concerned, and could not be obeyed by them. Tbe Bishop further paid that a common argument advancer) against doing justice in the matter to the Catholic community was the risk that must be run of breaking down the system, were any such steps for their relief taken. This, he said, was so palpably false an argument that he was unable to accredit those who urged it with honesty, la other countries, where a State system of education worked successfully, denominational schools existed side by side with it. His Lord- | ship quoted, as an example, the case of Canada, explaining t l c details of tbe State aid given to Catholic schools in the province of Ontario. In reference to the approaching elections, the Bishop characterised the action of men who went about canvassing for tbe various candidates as insulting. It was tantamount, he said, <o telling the voter that he was incapable of himself selecting a suitable parliamentary representative. His Lordshsp advised his flock to return in all such cases as their answer : " I shall vote for the test man." The labour demonstration made on Tuesday in Dunedin w.a very impressive. The procession of the unions was effectively carried out, those who took part in it numbering: something over 2000 We actually counted 2048, and can hardly have made an error. The stieets were thronged with spectators, and the sports, held at the Caledonian grounds, were also crowded. Everything, in fact, passed off with rclat. The weather, although rather windy throughont the day, and approaching a gale towards evenmg, was, on the whole, favourable, the rain keeping off— no slight advantage to holiday-makers, and one, owing to sad experience, to ba thoroughly appreciated in and around Dunedin. Miss Janet Achtjroh, an acires* who has attained demotion in England, and who i& now making a tour of these colonies, concluded a short season in Daneim oi Monday night. Toe play chosen for the occasion was " A Doll's House." a play that has given rise to a great deal of discussion and concerning which opinions are divided in a very considerable degree. The plot is, britfly, that a mirthful young woman, ardently attached to her husbaud, becomes suddenly drsilluMonnrt , and, peiceiving the graver aspects of life, leaves him, to enter upon their study. The play, though od the surface bright and sparkling, is a terrible one, intensely tragic, even though no death lakes place duiing its course. Consummate talent only can interpret it, and prevent the narrow boundary from being crossed that separates thi sublime from the ridiculous— a boundary in this instance of hardly a tair'u breadth. It is, in short, as high praise as any actress can desire, to say, as may be most truly said of Miss Achurch, that she thoroughly understands the part on which the whole interest of the piece depends, and perfectly represents it. The lesson of the pla> seems to be the effect of a great shock and a heart-breaking revelation in bringing the human being face to face with Ike meaning of life, and forcing it upon nib attention. As *o the manner in which (he lesson 13 given it is comparatively indifferent . That which Ibsen, the author of the play or of the work dramatised — we do not remember which— has chosen is, as we have said, tbe rude awakening from her dream of a merry young wife. But in uaveiling the necessities that underlie the superficial disposition of tbe " man of mirth," Wordsworth had anticipated Ibsen. As to the morality of this play — cast autrc ckosc. Possibly thosii good people are right who declare that it 13 demoralising m its effects. At least, it m*y well be so to those who lead it as teaching only that a wife who becomes demlhuionnec is ipso facto releaeed from the obligations of

the marriage tie, may pronoance her husband a stranger to her— a " strange man," may leave him and her childrei, and henceforward follow her own pursuits. The pUy, however, to be so understood must be acted so that the barrier we have spoken of, th^.t between the sublime and the ridiculous, is passed. Buc in thit instance the disease would probably bring its own cure. Hardly any one could be so misled. Acted, meantime, as Miss Achurch acts the play, for ihough she is effectively supported by those members of her company who act with her — on her it devolves to m^ke or mtr the play, it is a trigedy of the heart and spirit — more terrible even than those that> after the established traditions, end in ieath. We have this week to sorrow for the loss of a good religions, a kinH-hearted and worthy Irishman, and a true friend of the N.Z« Tablet. We refer to the late Brother Celestine, whose obituary notice will be found elsewhere. The deceased Brother was known in tbe world as Mr. James McPhellamy, and wa9 a .native of the County Tyrone, Ireland, where he was born in November, 1862. We regret to announce the death of Mr. J. R. Cuttle, a wellknown and much-esteemed member of the Dunedin Pres9, which i occuned, after a long illness, in this city on Sunday. Mr. Cattle was tbe son of a clergyman of the Established Church in Ireland, and was born near Mullingar, in tbe Connty Westmeath, some sixty years ago. He was of kindly disposition and gentlemanly, unobtrusive manners, and was deservedly held in high regard by all who were acquainted with him. By the death of Mr. Louis Court, which occurred on Sunday, after a short illness, Dunedin has lost an old and respectable resident. Mr. Court w«s a native of France, having been born, ia 1825, at Saint-Gaodens in the Haute-Garonne. His parentß occupied a good position, and he himself hid attained to some distinction in his native laod, having been at one time a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He had also held a diplomat c position under the Government of King Luuis Philippe. He was, however, principally engaged in commercial pursuus— in connection with which he visited Australia, — finally settling in New Zealand. Mr. Court leaves a widow and an only son, who is studying for the profession of the law. Ihe resolution of the Borough Council on Thursday night (says the North Otago Times, of the 23rd in^t.,; to charge £5 per annum for water to be supplied to the Catholic primary school is one that dees very little credit to their sense of justice or fairplay. The amount is a sm .11 one certainly, but when it is remembered that the committees of the three public Bchools,with the assistance drawn from concerts, etc., are only able to pay their way with difficulty, how much more musi such a tax as that proposed by the Borough Council tell on a body that receives no assistance from the State, and that has, in addriou to paying directly for the education of its own children, to help to pay for the eiucation of the children of others attending the public schools 1 The arguments which Mr. M'Dowell and the Mayor used were fair and reasonable, and it is a pity that councillors could not see the justice of at least placing all the primary ochools on the same footing. The proposal to sharge all the primary schools for the water after the Ist of January is not likely to be put in force because while the Council takes the money (if they can get it) from the committees by means of a tas the ratepayers will h *ye to replace it by me ins of a concert or subscription. Uuless the Council cannot do without putting into operation every conceivable means of raising money by taxatiou tint of taxing the raiepayera for the water used by the children attendiag the school* should not be enforced. A majority of tbe Council have, ho-vevvr, made up their mind* that the Catholics Ehall not receive the slight modicum of justice that the giving of the water free of charge would confer, so ihat there is perhaps no necessity to E.iy anything further at present on the subject. London, October 27. — His Holiness the Pope has prohibited Roman Catholic bishops in America from openly assisting Messrs. O'Brien and Dillon in the collection of money for the Irish Land League." Saving the presence of our readers, who, however, will understand that there are occasions whea it is necessary to tell the truth, whatever may be its coarseness, we say, plumply and plainly, this cablegram is — a lie. Mb. J. D. Lance, candidate for the Ashley electorate, in addressing the constituents at East Oxford on Thursday evening, referred as follows to the Education question :—": — " Coming to tbe question of Education, he asked his audience to divest and banish trom their minds all recollections and Iraditions of ancient history, and to impartially consider bis views, as be would now put them. He held strongly that if the State determined that every child should be educated, and any body of men did cot care, for Borne reason, or be.

cause of their belonging to some sect, to relieve the State by putting their bands into their own pockets for the education of their children, if the scholars so referred to were examined by the Government inspector" in the same subjects as taught in tbe State schools, there should be a contribution made to them. The capitation to the public schools was £3 15s per child. Now it would be simply a matter of strict abstract justice to give them a part of this capitation. In his own early life in India he was much impressed with the manner in ■which a nation of different castes and creeds was ruled by a handful of men, who administered level-handed justice where the difficulties were so great, and at times so alarming, that a man might consider hie nearest road to Paradise was by chopping off the head of a nextdoor neighbour, and where the sword and dagger were unceasingly at work. To carry out his plan would strengthen education, by removing a feeling of injustice that existed, and old sores would be healed. instead of ftstering till they became less curable, In seven Bessions of Parliament he had never spoken on this question, but if a measure like Mr. Pyke's Bill came up for consideration he should vote for private schools being aided in the way stated." AOCOBDING to the cable, Mr. Gladstone must have changed his mind on the road between Edinburgh and Dalkeith. One day, speaking in Edinburgh he justified the resistance of tne Irish people to the hateful laws. Tbe next, speaking at Dalkeith, he condemned the Plan of Campaign, the moat effective method of resistance that has been found, and pronounced it unnecessary. Is Mr. Gladstone doting, then, cr is the cable — romancing ? " Sir C. Gavak Duffv, in a letter to Archbishop Croke, declares that if the Land Purchase Bill introduced into the British Parliament by Mr Balfour wjs submitted to an Irish Parliament it would be received with an outburst of enthusiasm, and he advises its prompt acceptance by the Irish party." Sir C, Gavan Duffy can speak for himself — few men better, and therefore we shall not venture to excuse him. Another victory in the shape of a by-election has been obtained . Mr. Boby, a Home Ruler, has beaten Coionel Egjrton for Eccles by 4901 votes, agii.st 4691. or armjority of 210, The tide still flows in the right direction. Irish navvies are men of spirit. A number of them engaged for Australia, we are told, refused to start and returned pemileßS to Dublin. On reaching the port of sail they no doubt learned that they were to be brought out as '• black-legs." Mb. Balfour and Mr. Gladstone, we are told, are both agreed as to the Eeceeaty of making a settlement of the Irish question, if only to remove the block it effectually c fliers to all other business. We may gather that the right hon. gentlemen have severally expressed their opinions, aud we know that they are widely divided as to tbe methods of settlement. Mb. Balfour has actually proved hih right to the epithet ' brave." He has tiavelled along Connaught railways and driven alocg Connaught roads in tbe broad daylight and without any one, Dearer than the next police barrack — a. couple of miles off at most — to protect him from being ehot. We hope Mr. Balfour may recognise a bad potato when he sees OQe, and reward the Connaught men for not shooting him by supplying them with eomething instead of it. Meantime, nothing could be more astonishing, as Mr. Balfour no doubt knew very well, than that anyone on either side ot the Shannon should have a slap at him. His epithet of ''brave" is cheaply earned. It would be well if he bad as easily earned that of "bloody." Mb. "William Hutchison announces himself as a candidate for the representation of the Dunedin electorate. Owing to an oversight we have hitherto omitted te announce the mnrnage cf Miss Mary Hill, daughter of Mr. Charles Hill, Kaikorai Valley, and niece of Mr. Edward Carroll of Mornington, which took placs at St. Joseph's Cathedral on September 24th, to Mr. Luke Mullany, son of Mr. Mullany of Mertt n. It is never too late «o mend, however, and we are happy now to correct the fault, wishing, basides, to the young couple, a long and prosperous career.

Messis. Smith Brothers are holding an obligatory sale at their establishment in G orge street, Dunedin. The stock'must be sold, and priceß are fixed accordingly. The Zealandia boots, manufactured by Messrs. Skelton, Fros f ick and Co., Christohnrch. are highly recommended. lhey aie pronouncrd in cvi ry r< pp<ct firs'-clas-. Mr J. McKay, of (Jookh iid Uou-e, Piiact-8 s r.vt, Dun^liu, ha^i purcra c I tbe * it> Hoot Pal en, cin.erof George and St. Andrew Ftr-ets w ijh he will conduct in a m inner deaervi ilj f>r h 1 establishment its title. Mr M Kiy will personally supervise the business and bis high repu'atiou and well known expenence are a sufficient guarantee for the excellence of tbe goods offered to the publicAttention also is given to moderate prices,