DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 46, 18 March 1898, Page 5

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.)

On Wednesday last the Vicar General's application to have Catholic schools examined by Government inspectors was refused at the meeting of the North Canterbury School Board. Some of the speeches made on the occasion were extremely bigoted, and the Chriatchurch. Press, commenting on the matter, says : " We cannot compliment the Education Board on the debate which took place on the question of the inspection of Catholic schools, and, needless to say, we are disappointed with the decision arrived at. Neither in tone nor ability was the discussion worthy of the importance of the subject. Mr. Buddo's motion merely sought to appoint a committee to obtain information on the question. The Board preferred to settle it at once without information. They objected to grant the application because it would be 'diverting the funds ' of the Board to a ' sectarian or denominational purpose ' ; and yet they did not stop to inquire whether the inspection would mean any extra expense or not. Had they done so we believe they would have found that no extra expense would have to be incurred. That would have spoiled one of the arguments of Messrs. A. Saunders, Weston, and Co., and therefore, no doubt, from their point of view it was well the question was not put. The Board, in point of fact, did not act at all like a judicial body, but like a set of panic-stricken individuals having an awkward subject on hand and anxious to bury it out of sight as soon as possible. Their conduct was hardly dignified, and it was certainly not fair minded. Most of the discussion was entirely beside the question. Mr. Saunders, Mr. Weston, and others spoke as if the Board were asked to sanction the repeal of the existing Education Act, with a view to substituting State grants to denominational schools. As a matter of fact, the Board were simply asked to carry into effect the following clause contained in the Act of 1897 :—: — ' Where the teachers or managers of any private school desire to have their school inspected by an inspector, such teacher or manager may apply to the Board to authorise such inspection, and the same, when authorised, shall be conducted in like manner as the inspection of public schools.' It is absurd to contend, as Mr. Saunders did, that Roman Catholic schools are not " private schools " within the meaning of the Act. " Public school " is defined in the Act to mean " any school established or constituted under this Act." Of course any school which docs not come within that definition is a private school, irrespective of whether religion of any kind is taught within its walls or not. It would be the height of absurdity to contend, as Mr. Saunders apparently does, that as soon as religious instruction is given in a piivate fcchool it becomes a public school If this contention is bound the Catholic schools are public schools, and as such entitled by law not only to inspection, but also to the Government grants. We should be sorry to think that the Board were influenced merely, or even chiefly, by religious prejudice or intolerance in coming to their decision. As a matter of fact we believe they w ere swayed to some extent by the consideration of pounds, shillings and pence. They fear that if the Catholic schools were inspected, some Catholic parents, who at present send their children to the State schools, may withdraw them and send them to the denominational schools, and so the capitation grant to the Education Board would be proportionately diminished. Surely thin is a helfi&h and sordid way of looking at a question. It the proposed eoncessien leads a number of parents to pay for the education of their children, instead of having it paid by the State as at present, it may lessen the grant to individual boards, but at the same time ifc will lighten the burden on the taxpayers at large. But we had hoped that the Board would look at the question from a larger, nobler point of view. Mr. Hardy put the question in a nutshell when he said that the Colony was spending over haif-a-inillion a year in educating seven-eighths of the children, and it was also the duty of the Boavd to sec that the other portion were properly taught. The North Canterbury Education Board hsu c practically declared that they care nothing for the quality of education given to the children outside of their own schools. By adopting Mr. Saunders's amendment they have not only committed themselves to an act of injustice, but made themselves absurd. In the face of the clause we have quoted iroin the Education Act could anything bo more ridiculous than to say that to grant the trifling concession asked for would " be a violation of the first principles of the Constitution Act, as well as of the letter and spirit of the New Zealand Education Act /" We wonder the Board, when they were about it, did not add that such a course would be a breach of the Ten Commandments, and in direct violation of the Marriage Act as well. There is not one word in the Education Act which is opposed to granting the proposed concession. The Act is distinctly stated in the preamble to be an Act " to make further and bettor provision for the education of the people of Ni-io Xeuhutd." This is broad, liberal and comprehensive. It says nothing about Catholics concerning itself solely with the edufaiion of thoso children whose parents choose to send them to the State schools. Mr. Saunders and the Education Board of North Canterbury Hay that people who pay lor their own education are not included among

" the people of New Zealand." This, indeed, is a new and surprising doctrine. At present the children whose parents pay for them probably do not number quite one-tenth of the entire school population. But suppose that the proportions were reversed. Suppose that the number of denominational and other private schools increased so much that only one-tenth of the children of school age attended the State schools, would it be argued that the Government and Boards had nothing to do with the standard of the education imparted in the outside schools ? If so, our so-called national system of education is, indeed, a sorry farce. But we do not believe that the narrow view taken by the North Canterbury Board is that held by the people. We hope there will soon be an infusion of new men with broader views, and that the application now refused will yet be granted.' " Without history," says a grave author, " a man is purblind, seeing only the things that touch his eyes." A few days ago, while in Mr. O'Connor's book depot, I noticed with satisfaction a large number of copies of a little historic work. This small book, which is entitled A Catechism of Irish History, and which is written by the Christian Brothers, will, I trust, be used not only in our parochial schools but also in every Catholic school in the Colony. Some Catholic teachers, I am informed, object to use Neill Daunts excellent elementary work on the same subject. They say that Daunts Catechism is somewhat too difficult for most boys and girls, This objection cannot, however, be urged against the Christian Brothers' Catechism, which contains in small compass most of the leading facts in Irish history, and is arranged so as to be adapted even for a very young pupil. The Catechism forms an excellent key to a larger history, and is well suitable not only for school children, but also for adults. Indeed, anyone who wishes to know the chief matters of interest in the history of Ireland, will be greatly improved by a careful study of this admirable little work.

On Sunday last the services in both parishes were of an especial character, and were in honour of the patron saint of Ireland. At St. Mary's High Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father Goggan, who also preached a sermon on the life of St. Patrick. There was a large congregation present, and the choir, under the conductorship of Mr. Percy Kehoe, and assisted by the full strength of the Bland Holt orchestra, rendered Gounod's " Messe Solennelle," with full orchestral and organ accompaniment. The choruses were splendidly sung, and the solos were taken by the Misses Lucy Ryan, M. M'Laughlin, L. Grady (sopranos) ; N. Oakes, N. Slattery and Goggan (altos) ; Messrs. C. Read and A. H. Blake (tenors) ; A. O'Brian, C. Goggan and R. Beveridge (basses). During the offertory the orchestra played the " prayer " from " Rienze " (Wagner), and the Tanhausser March at the conclusion of the service. Great credit is due to Mr. H. Rossiter, the choirmaster, for the manner in which the Mass was prepared. At the pro - Cathedral in the evening the church was unable to accommodate the large congregation. The services were of an especial character, the musical portion being rendered by the Bland Holt orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Percy Kehoe. The members of the Hibernian Society were present in full regalia. From Genesis xii,. 1 and 2, the VicarGeneral preached an impressive sermon, which was a panegyric upon St. Patrick. In the course of his address he compared the people of Ireland to the ancient Jews, and pointed out the similarity between Abraham and St. Patrick, inasmuch as the promises made by both had been literally fulfilled. He gave a short sketch of the life of the patron saint of Ireland, and also some particulars of the present state of that country in regard to religious matters, referring especially to the great exodus which had taken place from Ireland to all portions of the globe. He concluded by exhorting all to imitate the life of their patron saint. After the sermon a member of the Bland Holt Company sang Gounod's '• Nazareth," with full orchestral accompaniment. The service of the Benediction was full choral, and was rendered by the full band and organ, at which latter Miss Funston presided. At the conclusion of the service the Vicar-General urged upon all Catholics the necessity for their attending the gala, to be held to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

It has been reported in the local papers that the Rev. Father Q-alerne, who left this city some weeks ago for Fiji, has returned to Wellington, where he is at present. The cause of his return is ill-health, occasioned by the great heat of the Fijian climate. During his long stay in Christchuruh the Rev. Father Galerne became very popular.

On Saturday evening last Madame Amy Sherwin, assisted by her company, gave her sixth concert of the season in the Choral Hall, in the presence of a large and enthusiastic audience. Madam Sherwin was in splendid voice, and gave, as her first number, Handel's beautiful %l Largo " with all the artistic purity for which she is famous, and, in response to a demonstrative encore, Madam sang " Ben Bolt " delightfully. A number of most exquihiteely executed selections followed, and at the conclusion of the concert, Madam Sherwin announced that she had decided to give three more concerts in Christchurch, when she would endeavour to answer as many of her admirers' numerous requests for encores as possible.