ARE CATHOLIC CHILDREN INELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS OR THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS?

Dunstan Times, Issue 1169, 25 July 1884, Page 3

ARE CATHOLIC CHILDREN INELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS OR THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS?

This question raised by Mr Hornsby whilst'addressing the electors of the Lakes constituency at Cromwell has created since then no little controversy and any amount of ill will. In last week’s issue wa re published a reply from Mr Habeas of the Education Office, Wellington, to the effect that the Government knew no one sect from another, hence they are eligible. We now publish below what the New Zealand Tablet says on the subject, and we will leave our readers to judge whether Mr Hornsby or Mr Haben’s is right. On the 11th inst the Tablet says :—“ In reference to a denial made by Mr Fergus at the Arrow, that Catholic children taught in Catholic schools are ineligible for the Government Scholarships or the Civil Service Examinations, we in our turn have to make a denial of what Mr Fergus says. The only condition on which it would be possible for Catholic children who had gained the Government scholarships to hnl I those scholarships would be by their giving up their attendance st Catholic schools and attending godless schools instead. Catholic childien, therefore, are eligible for Government scholarships only as, for example, any Catholic man is eligible for an evangelical lay-preachership—that is by renouncing their religion. Therefore, Catholic children are ine.igiole for the Government scholarships. Catholic childen are also practically ineligible for the Civil Service Examinations, because those examinations are conducted on the Government standards. And by this we do not mean that the pupils of Catbolio schools are unable to pass in the standards but on their presenting themselves for examination they are questioned as to the standards they are in, and on their replying “ no standard,” they are pronounced disqualified. Catholic children, then, are ineligible for the Government scholarships, and practically ineligible for the Civil Service Examinations, and- Mr Fergus’s denial of these facts is false.” . . . ?• -■ •

Again on the 18th it says of the Queenstown contest“ There is a row up there in reference to the eligibility of Catholic children for scholarships provided by public funds. One of the candidates for this con stituency affirmed that Catholic children were excluded from these scholarships and his assertion was denied. Reference has been made to the Secretary of the Minister of Education for information, and he has telegraphed to say that Catholic children are not excluded. Notwithstanding the assertion of Mr Habeas, we affirm that Catholic children cannot hold any scholarship provided out of public funds. Catholic children may indeed compete, and win scholarships. But after winning them, ’hey cannot hold them unless they disobey their Church, abandon their principles, and become inmates of godless schools. This is the real state of the question.”