THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, 20 June 1918, Page 39

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

HISTORICAL NOTES. - ' ; It may be assumed that many interesting incidents and experiences were identified with the Catholic chaplains who, during. the strenuous days of the ’sixties, accompanied the British troops —many of the latter being Irish and Catholic—throughout the Maori wars. But brief mention, however, is made regarding them in the great majority of books that have been published treating of the subject. Although it may be conceded that the purpose of war books is primarily to deal with military matters, still the omission (with a few exceptions) of practically everything relating to the heroic part taken by our Catholic chaplains in the old-time conflicts is regrettable. As examples of the brevity referred to, Colonel Sir James E. Alexander, in his book, The Maori War, IS6O-Cl , merely mentions the fact of Fathers Garavel and Parsley being engaged respectively in the campaigns in Taranaki and in the Waikato, in the capacity of Catholic chaplains with the troops. The good work of the latter was mentioned to the present writer by Mr. Richard East, ■ a veteran of the 40th Bombay Regiment (who lately passed away). Colonel G. Hamilton-Brown© refers in his book, With the Lost Legion in Sew Zealand, to Father Bezant, but only to the extent of relating the disinclination of a company to undertake a march just accomplished by the missionary, alone and unprotected, through hostile country, a journey on foot occupying two days; the argument advanced being that the priest “travelled light,” whereas the troops were of necessity heavily burdened. Some day, perhaps, and by some means, information that must surely be contained in military reports of the period may be accessible, and the deeds of the old-time Catholic chaplains be given the publicity they undoubtedly deserve. Many people who entertain the conviction that the aboriginal race of New Zealand is rapidly dying out, and that in a comparatively few years the Maori will be as extinct as the nioa, will be reassured on that point in the conclusions arrived at by a northern newspaper.

In connection with the recent statement by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) deploring the evils of liquor and expressing the opinion that he did not think the Maoris were half as numerous as when he came to New Zealand, the Auckland Herald says: -"In this matter the conclusions of the Chief Justice are not borne out by the available figures, which point to the reduction in the numbers of Maoris' not being nearly so serious as he suggests. Sir Robert Stout arrived in New Zealand in 1863, and though accurate figures regarding the Maori population at that period are not available, fairly reliable information may be found in despatches written by Governor Gore-Browne. In an account of a visit to the South Island he estimated the Native population at between 2000 and 3000, and in another despatch he stated that a census of the North Island showed a total of 56,049 Maoris that is, a total of about 59,000. According to the last census the present Maori population is 49,771, so that the reduction in nearly 60 years has been not half, but about 17 per cent. Moreover, the official returns show that since 1896 the Maoris have increased by 9900.

--• Writing ? of the religious life; in the Dominion, in his book, New Zealand, at Home, published a good many-years ; ago, the .Hon. R. : A. Loughnan states: 'The Briton, bringing with him to his new home a deep sense of religion, soon established all the forms of .worship of his native country, ... the Catholic holding fast to the dogma and ritual of his ancient Church. ... The Catholics, on their side, had had no problem. As is their custom everywhere-, they recognised the paramount authority of the Holy See." (This had reference to the problem of establishment which beset other denominations). "For service the stranger can take his choice in any of the towns. Does he wish for the imposing ritual of Rome, with Massmusic of the Masters, and Gregorian chants and sermon, he has but to ask for the Catholic cathedral or parish church. On festival Sundays he can be sure of High Mass; on others he must be content with the Missa Cantata ; and if he goes to early Mass he will see numbers of communicants. . . . Daily service he can attend in most of the Catholic churches. The Catholics have established several of their religious Orders in the Colony—the Marist Brothers, who "conduct the primary schools, for boys, for the most part ; the Sacre Cceur and other Orders of nuns devoted to educational work ; the Little Sisters of the Poor, who, inter alia, have a hospital for incurables: and the Nuns of the Good Shepherd, whose rescue establishment, at Magdala, near Christchurch, has. like the" hospital of the Little Sisters, the'support of the charitable of every creed." On the subject of education the author states: "The primary system is reinforced by the primary schools established and maintained at their own cost by the Catholics, who object on principle to secular education as mischievous, preferring the combination with religion, which they regard, indeed, as indispensable. They alone have backed their belief in the combination of religion with education by building and maintaining primary schools of their own. The Catholics also maintain secondary schools, the pupils of which compete for the public scholarships and the university degrees.