THE EDUCATION QUESTION.
10 THE EDITOK. ... Sib,— rln your issue of yesterday "One of the. People" draws the attention of the Catholics to the education question. Mr Purnell, m his address on August 12th, " thought it would be wise'to remodel the system m the direction of the State fostering private enterprise by giving grants for secular results." If he said it wonld be wise to make a railway from here to Mount Cook, we should have just as good a chance of getting it done as of getting what Mr Purnell thought wise. This is a very serious question, and one not to be treated lightly. I was very much amused at a letter Which I saw a little while ago ia the " New Zealand Tablet." This paper is the organ of all the Catholics m New Zealand, except a few English ones, who are of little or no moment. The letter was signed "English Catholic," and suggested that the Catholic Bishop should write a pastoral enjoining all Catholics m the Ashburtoh constituency to give Mr Purnell a block vote. It is evident that tbis correspondent is an Irish wag who was poking fun . How his tongue must have distended his cheek when he was writing it. And how the "boys" did laugh when they read it. It sent them into shrieks of laughter. The bare idsa of giving Mr Purnell a block vote because he "thought" the State would be wiio m doing something is absolutely sidesplitting. If he had pledged bim«elf to do all he could for the attainment of their demands the matter would be different. So little chance is there of Catholics getting what they want that the " New Zealand Tablet" does not deem it win at present even to agitate m its favor. I think Catholic education may be dismissed from the present contest But the moat laughable part of the whole thing is to give a block vote to . the man who his never spoken of them except m words o£ calumny end insult. As a private gentleman I tbink no one will find fault with him, and as a lawyer he is able and oonecientious; but for a block vote his chances are microscopically small. Does any believe that he cares a bit for their education ? Who convened meetings to congratulate Lord Salisbury on his success m defeating the just demands of Irishmen? And who denounces them m all the moods and tenses for endeavoring to put m practice ihe principles which ho himself so ably and eloquently advocates m his pamphlet ? The answer is, Mr Purnell. How is it h© has desires to do them justice here, while he rejoices over their misfortunes m the Old Country? They have votes here. Now, ltsus take a glance at Mr Walker, He never speaks disrespectfully of any man's, creed bf country, and he is always as willing ttf oblige an Irishman as a Scotchman or an Englishman, He is frank enough to state, like the » New Zealand Tablet, 7 ' that there ia no chance- at present for any important alteration m the Education Act. It is not worth while Baying much 'on a matter which at present is not within the range of practical politics. The amount of sympathy which Catholics may expflcfc from Mr Purnell may be gathered frdm the following facts. On the Bth June, 1882, m the Town Fall, Mr Saundew indulged m a ferocious tirade against the Catholic Church, one sentence of which I quote :— " Protestants ought long ago to have risen as one man against this exeroise of foreign despotism (the block vote), and refused to give a single vote to any man who was chosen as the recipient o£ this block religions vote." On the 14th, six days after, Mr Purnell mad© an eloquent appeal to his friends at Fen* darves, who had previously supported him ' (Mr P.) to rally round and support Mb Saunders. A block vote was a frightful thing when given against Mr Saunders. the slanderer of Catholicism, but it is a very proper thing to give against Mr Walker, who never spoke a disrespectful word of Catholics or Catholicism. Such is the consistency of politicians. I fear I have already exceeded my limit, and will now lay down niy • n . . Magnum BoNtjf,
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1659, 10 September 1887, Page 2
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718THE EDUCATION QUESTION. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1659, 10 September 1887, Page 2
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