THE MANITOBA SCHOOL DIFFICULTY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 4, 22 May 1896, Page 15

THE MANITOBA SCHOOL DIFFICULTY.

EFERENCE is made in the cable messages of May 19 to one M. Laurier, Sir Chablbs Tufper and the French-Canadians of Montreal. The Press agent at Ottawa does not mention the cause of the reported indignation of FrenchCanadians. We must receive such messages

with a certain amount of caution. The controlling spirit of the cable is often far from favourable to Catholics, espec : ally in their attitude on the school question. M. Lauribr has been in evidence in the recent debate on the Manitoba difficulty in the Federal Parliament. He ig one of those soi-disant Catholics, who, in Parliament, think little of selling the pass and turning traitor to a sacred cause. Such are to be found in every land. M. Lauribr is the Liberal leader. The Canadian Liberals, like the English and Colonial Radicals, are opposed to any form of denominational education. They want the free, secular system of the Continental Lodges. It does not suit the book of the Liberal Leader to go aside from the majority of his party, and so we find him leading the attack which means defiance of Uw and gross injustice to the Catholics of Manitoba. What manner of man is M. Laurikr ? He is a Catholic who during the famous foity hours' debate of last March boasted of "his independence of the influence and opinions of his priests." Our readers will remember that the Manitoba Education Actof 1871, framed in accordance with the Charter of the Constitution wag

repealed by the vote of the Protestant majority ia 1890. Protestants increased in numbar in Manitoba, and outnumbered the Catholics. When assured of their voting povt er, they took the education grant away from the Catholic minority. The Catholics appealed, and the Privy Council, the highest Appelate Court in the Empire, gave the verdict in their favour. The Manitoba Legislature has, however, defied the remedial order of the Governor in Council. The Dominion Parliament, by a small majority of 18, have carried a Eemedial Bill, but Manitoba remains recalcitrant. Probably the general election had something to do with the unintelligible cable item. We have stated that a Remedial Bill was carried by Government. According to the Exchange Telegraph Company's Ottawa correspondent, a secret conspiracy was discovered by the Ministerial Whips after the division, which only by a narrow chance missed its object of defeating the measure. M. Laurier, we learn, was approached by a number of Conservative members who offered to join Mm in wrecking their own Government and placing him in office on on condition of his undertaking \i bring every French Liberal member into line against the second reading of the Bill. A great sensation was caused in the party by the revelation of this treacherous plot, which only failed through M. Latjribr's inability to answer for all his followers on an occasion when their religions and political convictions were so directly at variance. The same tactics are employed by the enemies of Holy Church and Catholic education all over the world. " Divide et impera," " Let us divide Catholics and conquer/ which simply means " Let us destroy their unity, break their solidarity and utterly crush these Catholict." The unscrupulous Catholic place -hunter is the worst enemy the Catholic cause has at Home or abroad .

The Most Rev Dr Verdon presided at Vespers in St Joseph's Cathedral last Sunday evening and gave Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament.

Sebgeant-Majob Pratt of Nelson has been appointed thirdclass police inspector and takes Inspector McGovern's place on the West Coast.

We ars pleased to report tbat Mr Robert Oarr of Westport who his been Buffering from an attack of pleuresy is now progressing favourably.

The seventy-two races inhabiting the wjrld communicate with each other in 3,004 different tongues, and confess to about 1000 religions. Tbe number of men and women is very nearly eqaal, the average longevity of both sexes being only thirly-eight years, about one-third of the population dying before the age of 17. Moreover) according to the most careful computation, only one person in 100,000 of both sexes attains the age of ICO years, and only six to seven in 100 the age 60. Tbe 'oUI population cf the earth is estimated at about 1,200,000,000 souls, of whom 32,214,000 die annually — i c., an average of 98,848 a day, 4,020 an hour and 67 a minute. Tbe annnal number of birthp, on tbe other hand, is estimated at 36,792,000— i.e., an average of 100,800 a ray, 4200 an hour and 70 a minute. Generally, taking tt c entire world, married people live longer than single, and those who have to work hard for their liviog longer shan those who do cot, while also tbe average rate of longevity is higher among civilised tbrn uncivilised taces. Further. people of large physique live long* r than those of small, but tboee of middle size beat both. — New York Medical Record.

THAT much-travelled combination, Pollard's Opera Company, is to visit us and will commeocce a season of nine nights at tbe Princess Tbeatre on Saturday. Sixty performers, an orchestra if sixteen, and one hvndred and thirty tons of tffjets is a large order and shows to what dimensions that company has grown in the lust five years. At the present time these clever young people take rank with any music »1 organisation in tbe colonies. It is Mr Pollard's boast that he can produce twenty-four operas, burlesques aoi drames in that number of nights without aprotnpt book, or a rehearsal, and it matters not who leaves or is sick, there is a complee substitute. The opera chosen for the initial prod action here is one for which tbi s company has received the most lavish praise in the northern cities, and also ia Sydney, Planquette's tunelul Work «' Paul Jones." This opera will be played for three nights and will be fo'lowed on Wednesday by " The Gondoliers, " Toursday, " Olivette, "Friday and Saturday " La Fille dv Tambaax Major '" and on Monday and Tuesday " Uncle Tom's Cabin." Tbis is a sp'.ecdii reper'oire, aod should draw crowded bouses.

THE Archdiocese of Dubuqje, U.S.A., has been divided and Very Rev Tlmotby Treacy lias been appoinU J Bithop of Sioux Falls. The Moßt Rev Dr Treacy is the youngest of three brothers. The eldest is parish priest of Askeaton, County Limerick. The secend,

R v P. l.eacy, has been in New Zea'and for many yean and is a pi'est ?i the diocese of Cbriaiohmcb. Ine new bishop was appointed dean of Dnbuqua by Dr Hennesay Eome years ago. He ii a boat forty years of age and it sixteen years a priest. American papers speak of him as scholarly and eloquent, a successful mil* sionary and capable administrator.

The announcement by Father Lynoh on Sunday evening ol the death of Mibs Annie Morkane at the home of her parents, Christchurch, was received with great regret by her many friends in the Dnnedin congregation. Miss Morkane was beloved by her girl friends, and much respected by all her acquaintances. The deepest sympathy is felt with the sorrowing parents. The deceased young lady led a most holy life and her death was bs her faithful life. Tery Rev Father Oammings VG attended her during her trying illness, and the Most Rev Dr Grimes, S.M., Bishop <f Cbristchurch, paid many visits, much appreciated by the sufferer. Several Sistera of tbe Mission were at tbe bedside when her pure eoul left ihe body and winged its way to God. Mty she rest in peace.

Spain is going to send a reinforcement of 50,000 troops to Cuba.

OtJa correspondent, " St Cyprian," directs attention to a tread, on-the-tail-of-my-coat letter of the Anglican Bi'hop Nevill which recently appeared in the Otago Daily Times. Dr Nevill states that a passage quoted in a recent sermon on an important occasion is not fonnd in any copy of St Cyprian's work before the year, 1563 (peiiod of Reformation Controversies;. We are not called npon to reply to tbe Bishop, but we may say that the words were quoted by Pope Pelagius II in his second epistle to the bishops of Istria, A.D. 581— nine hundred and eighty-two years before the date which Dr Nevill mentions.

The Most Rev Dr Verdoo has appointed as his consultors for the next three years Very Rev Fathers Mackay, O'Leary, Sheehan, Burke and Lynch.