THE GOVERNMENT AND THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 37, 19 June 1891, Page 17

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

ROM a reply given by the Minister of Education in the House of Representatives, it appears that Government will not introduce Mr. Pyre's Bill, or any other Bill having for its object to do an act of justice to the Catholics of the Colony. The Governuent, we are sorry to perceive, is dominated by the party of bigotry, intolerance, and injustice. And it is clear that neither the present Ministry nor any othor Ministry will undertake to redress a striking and crying injustice till Parliament makes it clear beforehand that it is in favour of justice on this question, and opposed to the continued reign of injustice and plunder. On this account we desire that some Member who is in favour of justice to Catholics would proceed in the House of Representatives, by way of resolution, calling on the Government to introduce a Bill to put Catholic schools on a footing of equality with Government or public schools. We conceive that there is a safficiently strong sense of justice and fair play in Parliament to allow people who provide as good an education in secular subjects as the public schools do, to have their own money for the support of their

own schools. What do hon. Members want? They say they only want secular education. Well, let them be tested. < atholics in their own schools teach as well in secular subjects as public schools. Ought not this to satisfy secularists ? But it does not. They are not satisfied unless in addition all allusion and reference to religion, even to the existence of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, is also forbidden in schools. What, therefore, ig the inevitable conclusion to be drawn from this godless attitude of secularists ? Why, most certainly that it is not secular education they so much aim at, as the destruction of Christianity. Yes, this is the primary and almost the only object of secularism, and if tbifl object could not be attained, the patrons of secularism would care very little indeed for education even in secular subjects. That it is so is evident from the fact that secularists never make any effort to establish by voluntary effort schools for education, even in secular subjects. Men who love education for its own sake do make sacrifices to give it ; but secularists ne-ver, fron which the necessary conclusion is that it is not for education even in secular subjects they care, but only for the destruction oi Christian faith and morality. Secularists are never seen to be zealous for education, except when there is a chance of establishing godless schools at other people's expense. With them, there- [ fore, it is a system of tyranny and plunder, designed and J carried out for the express, though unavowed purpose, of destroying the faith of Christians and demoralising them. Such being the case, and about this view there is no dorbt whatever, it cannot be possible that a majority of what we must, for the present at all events, regard as an assemblage of rational men will refuse to let us have our own money to help us to give as good an education in secular schools as the public schools | give, or that they will persevere in a course of public plunder, and odious tyranny simply because, together with an excellent education in secular subjects, we manage at our own expense to teach, at the same time, the existence of God and His Chrigt, and inculcate the principles and practices of Christian faith and morality. Until it is actually proved to us that our legislature and representatives are so devoid of common sense and justice as to persevere in the present policy of persecuting the Christian religion, we shall refuse to believe that our Members of Parliament are so Billy, ridiculous, and childish. We hope, therefore, that some one of our friends will table a resolution in the Houie of Parliament to the effect that aid should be given to Catholic schools, and that these schools should be put in all particulars on a footing of equality with public schools, and thus afford Parliament an opportunity of showing its spirit and intentions. At present Catholic schools are not only handicapped in the matter of money, but in various other ways, as, for example, in scholarships for which Catholics pay, as well as other people, and in regard of employment under Government. We understand that applicants have been turned away by Government employers simply because they had not passed the Sixth Standard in public schools, although they had done so in Catholic schools. This, if true, is simply monstrous, and we have been assured that ft is true. We sincerely trust that this session of Parliament shall not be allowed to pass without an effort, and an efficacious one, being made to do an act of justice, fair play, and sound policy in reference to this important and necessary question.