EDUCATION AND ITS PERILS : EDUCATION AND ITS CLAIMS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 3, 4 November 1892, Page 15

EDUCATION AND ITS PERILS : EDUCATION AND ITS CLAIMS.

TO THE EDITOR N.Z. TABLET. Sib,— " The cat ia out of the bag " in New South Wales, and a portion of ratepayers realise the dangerous system of instruction taught in their schools. It ia even worse than in Victoria, for that colony has at least kept Btrictly to the compact with her reluctant people to exclude Christianity from their schools altogether, which has eecured consistency, but with a feeling of injustice and discontent as here in New Zealand. There is no mistaking the following which I believe is the result of being lulled into false security by a sop ia the shape of books entitled •• Irish," etc. The very power and magical iofluence which an Irish name has on an Irishman's nature and actions are so marvel-

lous that actually these unfortunate Celtic citizani are in a manner quiescent, and have all but instituted a syitem of teaching closely resembling something which savours of a wholesale way of proselytising children. Perhaps I am wrong, bnt this extract, from a speech given by the Minister of Public Instruction in New Sooth Wales, and published in the Sydney Morning Telegraph and other papers, goes a long way to show I am right :— "The Scripture lesson-books were carefully read under the teachers' guidance with the explanations they embodied, but no tocher was allowed to give his own explanation on any passage read." I need not comment further on the result. However, to quiet a certain qualm of conscience, it is found necessary by the M.P.L to state that clergymen would be allowed to teach " Gospel truths " in a clasa-room for one hour, but no two clergymen could attend on the same day. Now, with the number of existing sects of very strong religious views represented in these schools, where woald it be possible (tf a large school) to hare the use of this special room to instruct any particular denomination ? In conclusion, I may say it is not required, for the children have to swallow explanatory religion whether they are willing or not, and probably unknown to their parents — of whom, perhaps, many are of no belief whatever. If this is not interfering with private opinion with a vengeance, I really do not know what is. It is only just, under these circumstance?, for New Zealand to demand capitation for the child, and not put their legislators to the indignity of practising (on the pretence of social equality) disgraceful and unjust tactics to keep a portion of their own body before the eyes of the public— l am, etc., Ostober 21, 1892. w. H. A. Fitzpatbick.