THE DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY AND DENOMINATIONAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 46, 21 August 1891, Page 17

THE DUNEDIN CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY AND DENOMINATIONAL EDUCATION.

fOME weeks ago this Society held a meeting in reference to this subject, suggested by an adveise vote of the House of Representatives. This meeting, which was large, and mainly composed of young men who had been educated at Catholic schools, was chiefly remarkable for the excellence of the speeches delivered, and its unequivocal condemnation of the action of our so-called representatives* We may remark in passing that all the speakers, who were educated in Catholic schools, mostly ia Dunedin, proved by their tone, manner, and the solidity of their arguments, that it would be difficult to find any other schools which could turn out such able and highly educated pupils. Two of the speakers at this meeting, Mr Hally and Mr Popplkwbll, vigorously attacked and answered some arguments comiaonly advanced against aiding Catholic schools. We have always heard it said, we hear it said still, that to concede justice to Catholics would inevitably lead to the destruction of the present education system. In fact, this was the argument most relied on during the debate which eventuated in the vote to which we have referred in the beginning of this leader. As Mr Popplewell very justly and ably remarked, this argument answers itself. For that system which an act of justice will destroy cannot have a firm hold on the mass of the people. The mass of the people can have a very little liking for a system which they will reject because a : d sho Jd be given to a few Catholic schools. In fact, the representatives who used this argument, and were swayed by it in their vote, plainly acknowledge that the present system of education has no hold on public opinion or public confidence. If the public is prepared to abandon it because aid is given to Catholics out of their own money, the conclusion is inevitable that people generally do not care a straw for the godless system and are only supporting it to spite Catholics. Nothing can be clearer. Not a very amiable or rational motive certainly. And we do believe, ourselves, that the present systeui of education does not commend itself to the great mass of the people of this colony , and is in opposition to their principles and wishes. Its greatest supporters even really admit this, when they say that to aid Catholic schools is to destroy it. The socner, consequently, it is destroyed the better for the honour,, reputation, and best interests of colonists. Another very extraordinary argument brought forward, ws greatly elaborated by no less a personage than the Minister of Education himself, and we had no idea that this Minister was so simple and so gaucte as to parade it before the country. The argument to which we allude is that to grant aid to Catholics would be to increase the expense. Were none of his colleagues neai him, or none of his wide-awake followers to remind him tbat his argument meant the exclusion of Catholic children even from the godless schools, indeed from all participation in education provided at the public expense. For, certainly, if all Catholic children went to god'ess schools, the additional expense to Government would amount to £40,000 per annum, and as no additional expense could be afforded, the inevitable conclusion is that Catholic children are to be left out in the cold, that there are no places for them in godless schools— «t which, of course.

ire rejoice, although at the same time we protest against such j ridiculous statesmanship. But all this confirms us in an opinion we have long entertained — that the present system of education was elaboiated for the express purpose of placing Catholics at a disadvantage and to render it extremely difficult for them to obtain any education whatever. If Catholics are prepared to abandon the teaching of the Church and accept godlessness they will be welcomed in these schools, but as Catholics it was never intended or expected to receive them there ; and it was from the beginning the determination of its authors that children determined to remain Catholics should have Catholic schools provided for them by their parents at their own sole expense, whilst contributing largely to the maintenance of godless schools. This waa certainly the original intent, and the people generally, whether consciously or unconsciously, we stop not to say, understood this idea, and participated in it. The very fact, which all seem to admit, that aid to Catholic schools would destroy the system, confirms us still more in our conviction. Our present system of education was an adroit attempt, not so much to educate, as to prevent Catholics as such from having any education at all, so far as possible, and to make it extremely difficult for them to have any education whatever. This was always our opinion, and is so still. The two arguments against justice to us, to which we have just now referred, make this evident. A third argument against justice to our schools is that such aid would introduce denominationalism as against nationalism. Well, what of that ? What is in a name ? In uiany countries denominational schools are the national schools. Why, it is so at the present moment in England. The secular system there, that is the Board Schools, is only supplementary to the denominational schools, and in these denominational schools threefourths of the children of England are educated, whilst only one-fourth is educated in the Board schools, and this onefourth costs the coantry unnecessarily more than the threefourths in the denominational schools, although the education given in the former is not one whit better than that given in the Utter. We conclude by congratulating the Catholic young men of Dunedin on the stand they have taken, and the conspicuous ability with which they have maintained that stand.

If the Parnellites have got human hearts (says the Liverpool Catholic Times) they must feel now how withering and fatal is the blight c&flt upon Ireland by the misconduct of the ex-chief. It is not merely the National cans* that has suffered ; the supporters of that cause in every part of the land have been severely smitten. Baddest of all is the fate of those who bore the brunt of the fight at Tipperary. Ample resources would have been secured to enable them to obtain a complete victory ; but the fount of sympathy was sealed through Mr Parnel.'a dishonour, and after undergoing sacrifices aui sufferings that cannot well be described they have been forced to capitulate. A principal topic of in eust at present is the late fire at the Duoedia Globs Office aud the verdict of the inquiry that incendiarism was the came. Nothing sj far has transpired concerning the parties implicated. For more than one reason, however, it is to be hoped the mater may be cleared up. Greatness decidedly carries its penalties with it. The diitinction, for example, gained by Lord Randolph Churchill in England subjects him to indignation in the Transvaal. A local paper makes the following complaint :— " We are in the position of the hero who met the Geni in the fairy story We have in our midst a distinguished Tisitor, who, although ha possesses the magic ring of speech, will utter no sentences for our behoof. Such an attitude is neither nobl« nor conrteous, and, above all, most unbecoming in a member of a party which in some measure represents a Government, which is at present greatly concerned in the movement (political and otherwise) which is going on around our Government. Lord Randolph Churchill may try to pose as an enigma, or as the ' great Sphinx ' of a former political epoch, but it cannot be said that he is distinguishing himself, in a foreign country which presents the most extraordinary problem of his time, by an affectation of silence, which can only be excused on the ground of ignorance, and which can only be explained by an assumption of contempt which is far more degrading to individual insolence than to the country which is assumed to be insignificant."— Bnt only fancy anybody's being aogry with Lord Bandolph for holding his tongue. Sib Geoeoe Grey has bad the most brilliant idea of all his life— a life of brilliant ideas. He proposes not only to give women the fraocbiie, but to return them to Parliament, and to substitute

their Chamber for the Legislative Council.— Burkes cardinal error that the days of chivalry are pawed is once more exposed. It would, meantime, seem a pretty, as well as an appropriate, reward to make Sir George himself the new Speaker. Lord Lubgax retires under favourable circumstances from hta position as an Irish landlord. His Lordship has sold his estates In Armagh under Lord Ashboaroe's Act, for the handsome sum of a quarter of a million sterling. Under such conditions it does not appear that Irian landlords have much reason to be displeased with the results, so far, of the popular movement. If it be true, as frequently stated, that Madame Bernhardt is addicted to " strange experiences unmeet for ladies,"— her taste baa been fully gratified by the events of her passage, m route for Baa Francisco, from Sydney to Auckland in the Mariposa. The vessel encountered a fierce North- Kastexly gale, and for some two days had about as bad a time of it as any vessel not actually on the verge of shipwreck could have. Madame Bernhardt has decidedly learned that life on the broad Pacific is not all " skittles and beer "— »s the saying is. Tbe recollection, no doubt, will suffice to enliven for hex more proaa.c days on her native boulevards. The cable-agency is evidently much exercised concerning the exposition of the Holy Coat at Tmves, and has something to say, in gasps of rather a sneering tone, concerning it. The agency, nevertheless, had nothing to tell us, for example, of the display recently made, and perhaps still continued, at the Naval Exhibition in London, of clothing formerly owned by Lord Nelson. Human nature, however, must make a distinction. Tbe relics of its heroes it may lawfully preserve and venerate ; those of a higher character it must destroy, reject or deride. But such contradictions belong only to our less reverent age. Tbe Catholic world, whose traditions are those of all the agee, oin know nothing of them. Wb publish in another place an able and important letter addressed by his Catholic constituents toMrW. B. Perceval, M.H.R. By referring to it our readers will obtain further evidence as to the firm and united attitude maintained by the Catholics of the colony towards the Education Question, and of the soundness of the arguments they urge in support of their claioas. Preparations are now being made for erecting tbe flight of steps leading up from Smith street to the porch of St. Joseph's Cathedral. When completed a very fine addition will be made to the surroundings of the building. Tbe enclosure will be in tbe shape of a cut-stone wall topped by iron railings, with iron gates in the centre and oa either side a handsome lamp. Tbe steps will be of concrete, but so built as to leava room for a covering, after a little time of encaustic tiles, The 9ih anniversary of the establishment of the local branch of the H.A.C.B.S. was celebrated at Leeston on the evening of August 12 by a social. Mr W. Holley, junr , took the leading part in the event, and Christchurch was represented by Messrs B. P. Lonargan and B. O'Connor. Representatives of the branch at New Headford were also present, as were also those of the other friendly societies of the district— the Druids, Foresters, and Oddfellows. The vocalists who gave their valuable services oa the occasion were Miss Cooper and Messrs T. and F. Holley, Cooper, and Bilbrough. Miss Spring acted as accompanist throughout tbe evening. A very pleasant time was spent. It is rather odd (says a society paper) that the newest of our 14 fathers in God " should rejoice in the name of the Almighty. Tet "Her Gott," of evidently Teutonic and mercantile origin, has been appointed to the vacant bee of Truro. We have got them now with a vengeance— Worms and Hirschen, and other German Jewß. But a Christian bishop whom some of tbe less educated of bis flock will call perhaps "My Lord Gott I " Really the idea is monstrous. The question of women's franchise is really obtaining serious consideration at Wellington, and we are gravely informed that, in all probability, the measure will become law this session. The Wellington correspondent of the Daily Times informs us that one tnthusiastic Southern Member has described the matter as " coming like an avalanche that cannot be stopped." Let us accept the omen. It is a mercy that, although an avalanche may do an immense amount of mischief, it cannot last. We may hope that sad experience, if not common sense, will result iv bringing about a repeal of tbe Act, if it does pass. The old Catholic Presbytery (says the Wellington Post of the 15th inst.), which has recently undergone considerable alterations, in order to enable it to be used as a meeting hall for the various Catholic societies in Wellington, was opened last evening under the appellation

of 8t Patrick's Hall. The affair took the form of a miscellaneoni concert, which was given hy the choir of St Mary of the Angels, and the proceeds will be devoted towards defraying the cost of the alterations. The attendance was good, and must have proved highly gratifying to all concerned. The vocalists were Mrs Oimino, Misses Boss (2), Curtice and M'Keegan, and Messrs W. Boss, O. M'Mannaway F. Oakes, Gormley, Dangan, and Coltman. Recitations were in addition given by Mr Morgan, and a violin solo by Master 0. OimiQO, whilst Mr B. Cimino, Jan., officiated aa conductor. During the evening the choir sang a number of glee*, all of which were very well rendered. The piano was supplied by the Dresden Piano Company. We find that Prince Bismarck's newspaper has taken similar views with those we ourselves alvanced last week relative to the influence indncing the Sultan to call for the immediate evacuation of Egypt. That some such iuspicion obtains in Bngl«d, moreover, the refusal of Lord Salisbury to attend the banquet given at Portsmouth to tbe officers of the French fleet seems to intimate. Me Pabnell continaes to talk at random in a very lamentable and scandalous manner. We may sc *, tbe accusations he brings down sVtotally worthless and incredible. His whole oonduct, indeei, furnishes us with a further example of the depths to which men may fall when they once forsake the path of probity. Unfortunately, there is nothing in all this out of keeping with what is human.