INTERVIEW WITH MR H. McCORMICK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 25, 20 October 1893, Page 15

INTERVIEW WITH MR H. McCORMICK.

As we were desirous of obtaining an expietsion of a perfectly independent Catholic opinion as to the action recommended to Catholics and an informal view of the question generally, as it is regarded by men who are not especially engaged in studying it, we interviewed our esteemed townsman Mr flenry McCormick. We took Mr McCormick quite unawares, giving him not a moment's warning. His answering, therefore, put forward as it were in the rough, carries with it all the weight of settled conviction, aad of a habitupl frame of mind.

We plunged at once m nudias res and asked :— What do you hold as to the right of a Catholic Bishop to advise his people to subordi. nate all other considerations to that of the education question ?

Mr McCormick : The Bishop of a diocese is the authorised leader of his flock. He hts received his authoiity from a higher power than himself, and he is accountable for it. He has a right to direct his people in all ma ters concerning their spiritual welfare, and may also direct ttem in matters affecting their temporal welfare. Inasmuch as the education of youth is a most important matter, and comes fairly within the scope of tis authority from bis superior, he is bound to take thought for i», and no man worthy of the name of Catholic would think for a moment of questioning his right.

You look upon the question then as all imporaot ? Mr McOormick : On the class of education given to the young lam convinced that their whole after career miy depend. If they

are brought up with no religion, or with no ideas of religions matters, you cm expect nothing bnt a nation of infideli. In fact tbe whole end and aim of the god leu system everywhere is to wipe out all ideas of reigion from the minds of the young. As a proof of this I may quote the class of men who in Italy, Germany, France, anl these colonies are its chief sup; orters. They are, with few exceptions, avowed infidels. As an example of the effects produced take this. A boy of about 12 yrara of age attending a godless school in this' town, some short time ago, to my knowledge asked bis mother who " this man Jesus " was of whom he heard so much. The boy, I may add, was the son of well-to-do parents.

In your opinion what ia the duty of Catho/ici in the matter ?

Mr McCoimick : I think, seeing that Catholics are in duty bound to give their children a good religious aod secular education, and seeing that they are forced to pay their quota towards the support of the present system of godless education without receiving any benefit from it, it is also their bounden duty to do what they can towards obtaining justice towards their own schcols. Therefore they should place this question before all others

Your opinion is, then, that as a question of politics it deserves to take precedence of ail others ?

Mr McCormick :— I consider, as a Catholic, that education At tbe present juncture is above and beyond all other political questionp. I speak as an independent Catholic, and as one who knows something of the world, and I rep sat distinctly, that the education question ia the main question for Catholios. la recording my vote I have made it such all along, and 1 shall continue to do so. Nor do I follow tbi3 course became Dr Moran has issued a manifesto on the subject, but because I know it to be my duty.

What are your conclusion?, so far as your experience goes, respecting the action cf Catholics in the matter ?

Mr McCormick :— So far as my knowledge goes, I believe that Catholics do their duty faithfully in this matter. There may be a few who do otherwise, bat they are not worthy of tbe name of Catholics, and I would not call them so.

What are your views generally as to the injustice from which Catholics suffer ?

Mr McCormick :— When a man looks round the country, and seea the palatial edifices erected by Government for educational purposes, and knows that a large portion of the funds that have erected these schools were contributed by Catholics, and that % large portion of the funds that Eupport them year by year are also contributed by Catholics, it must appear to him a crying injustice to compel Catholics to build and support their own schools so as to avoid a compromise of conscience .

The expecse, however, falls unequally on others besides Catholics?

Mr McCormick : The conntry spends half a million a year > educational pnrpos<s-exclusive of lunds derived from reserves— which amount to a considerable sum. If tbe system were altered so as to mike well-to-do people pay for tbe education of their owa children, a large amoutnt of that money might be liberated, and made available for public works— to give employment to neely men. As an instance of how the system bears on tbe industries of the Colony, take the following case :— During the regime of th« Atkinson Government a fair Rent Bill was introduced and carried through the House, giving power to reduce the rentals of Government leased lands and county council, corporation, and educational tndowments leased lande. The moment it was seen tbat there was a chance of tbe measure's beiog poshed on, the University Council of Otago met and took steps to bock the Bi 1 in the Upper Chamber, and fjr this reason : They had some propeitles leased at rack-rents— one notable case beiDg the Barewsod run— and they knew tbat, if the Bill became law, the lessees would immediately apply for and get a reduction of rent. Through ths action taken by the Council, relief to a large body of settlers, many of them very poor, and labouring under heavy rentß, was delayed for about eighteen months. No thanks are due to the education system for tbe ultimate relief of these struggling people, to whom it was afforded by the Settlers' Revaluation Bill.

What is your opinion of the opposiiion offered in this matter by the local Press.

Mr McCormick: Itappeara to me a very senseleaa opposition. There is neither tiuth, common sense, nor justice, in it. So far as the Daily Tunes is concerned it is very seldom found on the side of right and justice . Tnere is another twaddler, who occasionally appears in the Star under the name of " Nemo." His scribbhogs on the enbject nre totally unworthy of notice. The sole argument advanced by both papers is that Bishop Moran iscontioually ba-p'ng on the one string. TheD, may I ask, what do they think of themselves whr, since tbe adveot to power of the present Government are continually doiDg the same ? The oce string on which they harp is abuse of the Government.

To sum up then, you support the action of Bishop Morau ; you perceive to the full the mjusti c under wr,ich the Catholic settlers labour, and you denounce as unfair, unjust, and groundless, the denunciations made of the Bishop, and ibe opposition offered to the cause he champions ? Mr McCormick : I do,