Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 11 February 1915, Page 51

Intercolonial

Rev, Father W. Barry, speaking at the great meeting in Sydney for the purpose, of bringing before the public the claims of Catholics for more just treatment in the matter of education, said that Catholic educational establishments in New South Wales had cost them, so far, £5,000,000, and, in addition, they paid one quarter of the cost of the State Education Department, which ran into £400,000 per annum. Putting the average cost of education at £6 10s per child, it would be seen that Catholics saved the Government annually, by teaching their . children in their own schools, no less than £338,000. That, added to their proportion of the upkeep of the public schools, placed upon New South Wales Catholics the burden of £738,000 a year. This injustice had only to be pointed out, surely, to any fair mind to be acknowledged; yet the Government refused 'to recognise the Catholic schools, whilst it was quite prepared to help other minorities, and even individuals.

To bring under notice of the people of New South Wales the claims of Catholics for better treatment in the matter of education, especially in view of the fact that an Amending Education Bill is shortly to come before the House of Assembly, a great meeting was held at St. Mary’ Cathedral on Monday night, January 25, under the auspices of the Catholic Federation. There were over 4000 people present, including several of the clergy, and leading Catholic laymen —a thoroughly representative gathering. His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney presided, having on his right the Right Rev. Dr. Dunne (Bishop of Wilcannia). After a residence of about 22 years in Australia, the Very Rev. Father-M. J. O’Reilly, C.M., will return to Ireland shortly. lie leaves to take up the presidency of St. Vincent’s College, Castlenoek, Dublin, wliiqb has been the training-ground of a large number

of Irish priests. Father O’Reilly has been over 12 years president of St. Stanislaus’ College, Bathurst.’ His departure (says the Catholic Press) will be a great loss to Australia, for- his influence has been felt throughout the whole. Commonwealth. .V y

.’Speaking at dhe opening of St, .Mary’s Cathedral fair on January 26, the Archbishop, of Sydney dealt with the remarkable increase in the number of Catholic schools and scholars. His Grace directed their attention to the fact that in the year 1880 the Public Schools’ Act became law. At that time there were 317 denominational schools in the colony of New South Wales, attended by 27,463 pupils. It was expected that the opening of the public schools under Government patronage and aid would be the signal for the closing up of the denominational schools, and in particular the Catholic schools. It was true that the Presbyterian and Wesleyan schools were almost shut down, and in a great part the Anglican schools, but the Catholic schools increased from that day in number and in attendance. Last year in New South Wales,’ said his Grace, - ‘we had 424 Catholic primary schools, attended by 52,520 children. In Sydney alone last year we had 209 Catholic primary schools, attended by 28,145 children. The finger of God is on our work.’

The Rev. Brother Higgins, who has been stationed at the Christian Brothers’ College, Adelaide, for the past seven ears, was, prior to his departure for New Zealand, made the recipient of a handsome dressing-case from several of the old collegians and members of the Adelaide Handball Club (says the Southern Cross). The Defence Department having requested his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne to nominate three additional chaplains for the Expeditionary Forces, his Grace has appointed the Very Rev. William O’Dwyer, Administrator of St. Mary’s, Star of the Sea, West Melbourne, and the Very Rev. M. Murphy, Yorktown, South Australia, and a third chaplain will be nominated in a few days. These will proceed as far as England only.