BISHOP CLEARY AND THE PREMIER

New Zealand Tablet, 16 July 1914, Page 34

BISHOP CLEARY AND THE PREMIER

Quickly seizing an excellent opening which presented itself,. Bishop Cleary, on Saturday last, sent the following telegram to the Prime Minister: —‘ In yesterday’s (Friday) Auckland Herald you are approvingly quoted as replying as follows to a deputation of timber workers: —“lt was hardly fair to allow a majority to use funds to which a minority were compelled to subscribe for purposes of which the minority did not approve.’’ I hope you will vote against empowering any majority to, decide to us© the public funds to which the minority is compelled to subscribe for the State compiling, State printing, State binding, State storage, State distribution, and State teaching of a sectarian scheme of Biblical lessons, of r which a minority cannot

approve, and from which they can derive no benefit, no such provision out of the public funds being made for their conscientious requirements. • Scores- of times in the Press and on the platform the Catholic leaders have expressed their willingness to meet other interested parties in conference, and to give fair and friendly consideration to any scheme whatsoever based upon equal rights of citizens before. the law, but neither we nor the other great bodies interested have been consulted or considered either by the. League or in the present Bill.’ * ll is Lordship’s telegram has elicited the following reply : Right Rev. Bishop Cleary, Auckland, —Your telegram of Saturday duly to hand. You may rest assured that the matter will have careful consideration. W. F. Massey, Wellington.’