CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 5 October 1916, Page 51

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

PAHIATUA* At the conclusion of Mass, at the Pahiatna Catholic Church yesterday morning, an address was delivered to, the large congregation by Mr. W. F. Johnson, secretary of the Wellington Diocesan Council of the New Zealand Catholic Federation (says the Pahiatua Herald of September 25). Mr. Johnson, who earlier in the day had addressed the congregation at Hamua, was introduced by the Rev. T. McKenna. He thanked the latter for his kind remarks, and also the local committee for the invitation to visit Pahiatua. Speaking' first of the past history of the Federation, he explained that it existed all over the civilised world, and claimed that the Federation, led by Bishop Cleary, of Auckland, had been successful in defeating the Bible-in-schools agitation. The Federation had also been instrumental in establishing a hostel in Wellington for Catholic girls, and he pointed out the influence and usefulness of such an institution. It had also been the means of having suppressed the dissemination of indecent literature and pictures, and the elimination of certain works from the public schools that were distinctly anti-Catholic in tone. Dealing particularly with the education question, he said the present position was that the Catholics had been refused everything. No hope had been held out to them at all. They had been told distinctly that they were a class apart, with no place in the public schools of the Dominion. Whatever they did, it must be at their own expense, in addition to paying for the education of other people’s children. He declared that they had been bearing this burden for the last forty years. [The speaker here gave the figures on the cost of education in the Dominion, which have already appeared in the Tablet}. These figures, the speaker said, were appalling. Then their opponents had the presumption to talk about the 1 free, secular, and compulsory system of education.’ It was secular, which they did not want, and it was compulsory in more senses than one. These facts deserved the serious consideration of every Catholic taxpayer, as he is compelled to contribute one-seventh of the enormous total cost of educating children other than his own, without receiving the slightest consideration for those he is bound to bring up in the fear of God, and in the practice of their holy religion. He read the extract of an interview by the Evening Post in July last with the Chief Justice, who stated that the cost of education had grown nearly four times as compared with the estimates of 30 years ago, while the population had not quite doubled. In emphasising the effect of the burden of the cost on Catholics, the speaker pointed out that the majority of their pupils were the children of the laboring class. The Minister had refused to afford.any relief whatever, and what were they going to do? Nothing was to be gained by getting hysterical, or to breathe out vengeance or slaughter. They should rather accept this reverse with the dignity befitting the sacredness of their religion and their cause. He" held that there had been no proportional increase in the intelligence of the country, as compared with the great and increasing cost of education, and merchants complained of the inefficiency in the primary schools. his was because of ‘ frill ’ subjects, and most children did not have the time to devote more attention to primary education. His own opinion he was not laying down the policy of the Federation— that the best way to secure a remedy was by obtaining proportional representation. With the electorates sufficiently enlarged, they would be able to send men to Parliament, not only because they were Catholic men, but also men of ability. Did they recollect anyone in Parliament advocating justice for Catholics? He went on to show that voluntary and denominational schools worked satisfactorily in Britain, The denominations built and equipped their own schools in accordance with ’The requirements of the State, and the State pays the salaries of the teachers. He instanced also

' the systems iu Canada and South Africa. In Australia, certain educational privileges were granted, and grants were also made to Catholic institutions. The systems in Catholic countries like Belgium and Holland were referred to, to show the educational rights enjoyed, by the minorities of other denominations. They were not asking for more than was granted in other parts of the British Empire. In Germany, too, before the war, Catholic and non-Catholic schools were held under the one roof, irrespective of religion. He stressed the necessity of organisation, asserting that compared with 40 years ago, they had gone back. He urged that they should be organised like the army to achieve the common end. ‘ Never mind your political feelings, leave your wretched politics out of this business altogether. Give your attention at one or two elections to Catholic matters.’ He urged they should be Catholics first, and citizens after, because a good Catholic was a good citizen, they could not separate the two. He reminded his hearers that politicians were open to reason, but would listen more to expediency than reason, and suggested that they would listen to branches of the Federation, with over 1000 members. He indicated why other institutions had failed in the past, and paid a tribute to the devotedness of the , leaders of the present movement. He appealed for V members for the Federation, and in this connection asked those in good circumstances to help those of their brethren less favored. He acknowledged the assistance of Miss Hughes and Miss Stevens in obtaining donations for the Catholic field service fund, for their chaplains at the front. He asked the congregation for their sympathy, their support, and their subscriptions. If at times the Federation failed to reach the standard they thought it ought, they should give it credit, at any rate, for its good intentions—- ' What though we grope and blunder, The trend of our aim is true, On, there is death in dalliance, Where yet there is work to do. Till our Land that lies like a giant asleep, Shall wake to the victory won And the eye of the Master workman, Shall see that the work is done.’ Rev. Father McKenna, as president of the local branch, in heartily thanking Mr. Johnson for his able address, on behalf of the people and himself, instanced that even in Ireland there were Protestant schools side by side with Catholic schools. The children went home peacefully and quietly and there was not so much of the ‘ cattle dog ’ business as they heard in New Zealand. Protestant schools, with five, children, were supported by the Government; in Pahiatua the Catholic school, with 84 children, was refused support by the Government, and they had to support their own school with subscriptions, and collections, as well as having to contribute to the cost of the general educational system.