EDUCATION.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 298, 28 July 1875, Page 6

EDUCATION.

To the Editor of the Cromwell A.rgus, Sin, —Education has been looked after by the Provincial Government in a creditable manner, and its importance has not been overlooked. The Otago Education Ordinance is, 1 believe, admirable in many respects. Our schools are numerous, and the teachers on the whole efficient. The nature of the instruction given is in keeping with the times. So far I consider the

Otago Ordinance is good. It may be said that if such is my opinion 1 ought to be satisfied; But satisfied 1 am not, and the reason of my dissatisfaction lies in the part of the Ordinance that allows one class of Christian worshippers to make use of the public schools, while others are denied the same privilege. It is an abuse of power to make one half of the people pay for the denominational teaching of the other. Why should the Jews be compelled to. pay for teach* ing others a dogma they believe not in? Pew will deny that it is unjust. it is the law in Otago. I may be told that the Jews are not very numerous in Otago, and that they do not complain of the system of education. Such a plea would only make the evil more ap* parent, as it would show that they are trodden on because they are powerless. But I will show how unjustly our Education Ordinance operates upon another and more numerous section of the inhabitants of Otago : I refer to the Roman Ca* tholics. It cannot be said that they do not complain, that they do not feel the unju»t, unfair, and unchristian treatment which they receive at the hands of people professing to be Christians, and who are supposed to act conscientiously. It certainly appears to me that the consciences of the great bulk of the professing Christians are. very elastic, and that the precept, “Do unto others as we would that others do unto us,” is very little heeded. Will it be denied that the Roman Catholics are entitled to a fair share of the money set aside for educational purposes t I think not. Well, then, why do they not get it ? Simply because it is offered to them on conditions that they cannot conscientiously submit to; and the consequence is that they levy a a special rate on themselves for educational purposes. For every one pound paid by the Protestant for education, the Roman Catholic pays two It is monstrous that such should be the case in a Christian land : it is nothing short of sectarian tyranny. It may be asked what is in the Education Ordinance to drive Roman Catholics to such extremities. Simply a book or books are allowed to be read in oar schools that are antagonistic to the Roman Catholic faith. Again it may be said that those objecting are at liberty to withdraw their children from school during the reading of the obnoxious book or books. But if such is the case, why not allow the Roman Catholics the use of the school for religious or sectarian teaching, and let the Protestants he at liberty to withdraw their children ? By doing that, both would be on an equal footing. We are told that the Otago system of education is not denominational. I deny it. It is sectarian to the Protestant, but secular to the Catholic. Can it he denied that the Protestants are allowed the use of books belonging to their denomination? Can it be denied that the Roman Catholics are denied the use of the books belonging to their Church and faith? It is lamentable to think that in a country that boasts of its liberty and freedom, one section of the people should trample the other under their feet, disregardless of their conscience or their creed. -I am, &c., Pkotestant. Bannockburn, July 21, 1575.