IMPERTINENT AND FOOLISH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 32, 8 December 1893, Page 17

IMPERTINENT AND FOOLISH.

"The utter defeat of the denominational party is, indeed, a cause of satisfaction to us, and it may be trusted that the Roman Catholic malcontents will recognise the hopelessness of their case and reconcile themselves to a position which, in the opinion ot the vast majority of their fellow-countrymen, involves no real injustice. Hardship there may be, but it is a self-imposed hardship ; the price, as we have often said, of the luxury of fastidious exclusiveness." We quote this passage from a leader in the Otago Daily Times of Wednesday solely for the purpose of giving it a most emphatic contradiction . On the contrary, the Catholics of New Zealand will continue their agitation with renewed energy and a more perfect organisation. As a matter of fact, they have made their mark notably in the recent elections. They have punished many of their old enemies and helped some few of their friends.

■As to the view expressed by our contemporary of the Catholic position — the impertinence of its expression is equalled only by the folly of its conclusions. It is, indeul, an utterance worthy of that pedagoguish genius which never outstrips in wisdom the understanding of the highest form, and which takes an arbitrary tone from the privilege of wield' iug the tawse. Our contemporary's leader, we admit, gcems

the outcome of tho dominie's very beet profundity. But even in secular matters, we may quote the saying—" Pools rnsh in where angels fear to tread." Take, for example, the following sentences from Chief Inspector Fitch to whose memorandum we have already made several allusions. He is speaking of the ecoles libres of France. "The religious bodies," he says, " feel it to be a grievance that they are called on to make great sacriHces for the maintenance ot their own schools, while contributing their own share of the burdensome taxation needed for the support of other schools, which they do not approve, and which they will not use. « Uor are the public authorities," he adds, with special reference to M. Grbard, Vice-Rector of the University of I ans, and administrative head of the French secular system " who are charged with the administration of the existing system, entirely content with its working, or without misgivings as to its perfect fairness, and its adequacy to meet the needs of the future." Chief-Inspector Fitch »nd Vice-Rector Ureard distrust the secular system, and see the grievance which Catholics suffer. A leader writer of Sixth Standard ability and tone in the Otago Daily Times pi onounces the secular system perfect, and commands Catholics to accept it as such Risum teneatis amid! But, at least, our Mentor must have the privilege of extending the sweet influences of his tawse to reach the Catholic body before we give him so much as a hearing. Meantime we assure him he is altogether mistaken. He might as well have reserved his impertinence, and avoided the exposure of his folly.