THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 12, 22 July 1898, Page 6

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR N.Z. TABLET.

Sir, — The leader in your last issue induced me to ask space in your columns for the following. V\ hat I aui about to write is substantially a repetition of a letter written to the Tablet in the latter"end of 18yi, but which letter, for certain reasons., never appeared. I was then convinced (and every year's experience since that time has but confirmed my conviction) that in order to obtain justice in the matter of education we must organise ; and also that State aid in order to be obtained must first become a party question. Aid to Catholic schools is a big question, and one that more than nineteen-twentii-ths of the House of Representatives are bitterly opposed to, as well a.-*, I dare Fay, four-fifths of th.3 colonists. Under such circumstances it would require a solid, united party to place a measure of this kind on the Statute Book. Heretofore we used to vote for every man— be the same Liberal or Conservative or anything else — who promised to tupport the Catholic claim. If we pursue the same line of action, the utmost that could be ever possibly obtained would be a large number differing in religion as well as in politics who would plead the Catholic cause in the House. This is making the best possible case for our old modus agendi. It is granting what could never come to pass. But even that it did — that we could obtain such a large number who would be favourable to our cause —it would be utter nonsense to say that a heterogeneous multitude would ever stand unitedly together and force through the House a measure of such importance and magnitude. How could men who would differ am^ng themselves in regard to religion and politics be expected to agree as to the principles and details of a Bill that would give aid to Catholic suhools / No absurdity could be greater than to expect anything of the kind. I hold firmly then that iv order to obtain justice we must induce some one of the political parties to make our just demands a plank in its platform. But the question is how could we get any party to adopt such a policy 1 I answer by thorough out-and-out opposition. I will briefly explain. In case the present party in power continues to despise the Catholic claims, let the whole Catholic vote from Auckland to the Bluff be ca&t solidly at the next general election against it and its supporters. In the manner in which we hitherto voted at general elections we opposed only individuals. From a strategic point view this was certainly very unsound. We scattered our forces and we waited our energies. Now we ccc the result. We did not concentrate our strength, and hence we did not bring it to bear on any given point. If we cast a solidly united vote against the present party in power they can scarcely get back to the Treasury Benches, or if they do they can scarcely last one session. In the event of the Conservatives going to power, should they ignore our claims, let them be made to f<_el it on the first opportunity— at the next general election. In a word, let the party iv power be opposed at each succeeding general election, and it i<s a moral certainty that in the near future a d to Catholic schools wouli become a party question But in order to make the Catholic power felt we must organise. I take the following, word for word almost, from the letter of 18'J1 • 1 Tne formation of the entire Catholic body into one solid phalanx wisely directed, would b^ able, sooner or later, to force some party to make an endeavour to grant our just demands.' Organisation is everything. The following ia the scheme which was then submitted to your paper. There are some very trifling omissions. It has, as you can see, for its one sole object, to organise the whole Catholic body of the Colony. 1. The Catholics of the colony to declare themselves banded together under the name of ' The New Zealand Catholic Education League.' 2. Every Catholic parish in each of the four Catholic dioceses to avow itself a branch of this league. 3. A Sunday to be named wherein each parish would elect a certain number of delegates to repre.-eut it at a meeting to be held later on in the Cathedral Church cf the diocese ia which the pari 'h is situated, 4. The meeting in each of the Cathedrals to consist solely of the parish delegates, presided over by the bishop of tlio diocese. 5. That each of the four meetings of delegates assembied in the cathedrals elect four members to form the council of the le iirue i c 16 members in all. ' " "' 6. That those 16 members thus chosen elect from umon"- themselves a president of the council, aL,o a secretary and treasurer. 7. That the coundl meet at some central place (say Christchurch) to draw ujj rules for the guidance of the organisation 8. That the couu.il have full power to make levies, re^ula'e expenditure, and adopt all necessary means to obtain a thorough knowledge of every constituency in the colony ; its geographical position ; its numerical voting strength ; wJbat exactly is the Btrength of the Catholic vote ; what the state of register ; what in general, may be the tamper and tone of each constituency ' 9. That tho codicil meet at least four turns a year at some place to be determined by itself. An organisation worked on such lines and guided by a selfsacrificing and efficient directorate as above indicated could net fa;l to become such a power in the land that no parliament- v party could afford to ignore its views. Would it be too mv, h v, expect thrtt, together with turning out the ' ins,' it could ahuVj ■• ro the return of more than one representative who would imk,. , t i"i to Catholic schools a burning question on the floor of the lloa^e! ii conclusion allow me to congratulate you most cordially tor havu..V takan up this question, whioh is of such vital importance to tC tataoho body.— l am, etc., joHi{j oHi{ p. v'uos SEhL Qucenstown, July 16.