MARIST BROTHERS AND CONSCRIPTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3150, 31 July 1917, Page 7

MARIST BROTHERS AND CONSCRIPTION

THE DANGER TO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. Sir,— J read in your paper with regret that a llarist Brother's appeal was dismissed, and that ho was ordered into camp, that two more were classed unfit; or I take it they also would havo been ordered to proceed to camp. it has been laid down to the military son-ico boards by our bishops tiniu and ugain that our Catholic schools are un-der-staffed, and I understand there aro only thirty-three Brothers of military age in New Zealand. An insignificant number among the tens of thousands wiio have gone away from New Zealand to fight, out a very-(significant number to the Catholics of New Zealand in the cause of Catholic education, as the bishops havo stated they cannot be replaced.

The Catholics of New Zealand have bought land, built.-, schools, and" maintained them at their own expense for over forty years in New Zealand, and have also contributed their equal sharo towards keeping up the State system-of education. Do you think, sir, the Catholics have done this for fun, when any Catholic child has the right of Attending a State school free? Must it not strike oyeryone that there is some deep principle underlying this where a. denominaation makes such sacrifices for the education of its children ? And I. might say there is. Every Catholic parent, be ho good, bad, or indifferent, will, if it is at all possible, 6oe that his children attend a Catholic school, and will deny himself, or herself, to do so, that their children should bo taught their faith, as well as the secular part of their education. ' . ■

My mother, at great hardship to herself, did this for me. lam doing it for my: family,- and there are thousands of Catholics in New Zealand doing the same to-day.

Are {>io military department going to antagouiso those thousands of parents after three years of war, when the Catholic Tias enlisted, fought, and died for his country alongside all denominations? The man who states that the Catholics of New Zealand have not done their duty is no patriot, and is not speaking the truth, whether he makes tho statement in the House of Parliament or out of it. Such a statement made at a time like this only explains the fact to Catholics how necessary it is that their schools should be staffed, and Catholic children taught their faith in. order to confound such men.

The Catholics of New Zealand are not disloyal, and I 6pnak with sumo knowledge. I have been honorary recruiting officer in. this district for nearly two years, during which period a largo number of men have gono through .my hands.

In a. short time the Second Division will be called on, ami Catholic fathers will have to go, and rightly so. Are they to ho sent to the front, n*any rever to return, with the knowledge that for , the sake of getting thirty-three Marist Brothers into tho Army their children are to lose the great boon to them of Catholic education? I ask tl'-e Parliament of this country to pause before allowing'that to happen. Thousands of young Catholic men have Already gone voluntarily, and I say with a. * knowledge of the facts:that a largo number of those men would not have unlisted in the early stages of the war if they lad known that the Catholic system of edncation was likely to bo endangered. Surely these men, if not we, are entitled to some consideration. Ilfen. aro ueing exempted for many essential industries, and I ask the Govermmiut not to conscript tho Jfarist Brothers, who aro absolutely essential for the teaching of Catholic children.—l am, etc., F. M'MAXAWAY. Bulls,-July 30.