SCHOLARSHIPS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1922, Page 4

SCHOLARSHIPS.

SHARE OF ROMAN CATHOLIC i SCHOOLS. S

DUNEDIN, March 7

Sir Robert Stout, Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, made a statement to a member of the “Otago ‘ Daily Times” staff last week repeating what lie had said in England that up > toi July, 1921, no pupil who came from ; af Roman Catholic school had obtained ! , any Junior University Scholarship. ] “A question has been revised,” said a reporter to Sir Robert to-day, ‘ "ith | regard to scholarships other than those which you mentioned in your interview. Have you anything to say about that?” “I did not mention anything at all about other scholarships except Junior University Scholarships and I was speaking as Chancellor of the University. I did not deal with education hoard scholarships. Tf I had boen dealing with them I would have pointed out that the Catholic schools obtained few scholarships compared with the number of Catholics in New Zealand. I have before me a return of the junior scholarships awarded. They are Government scholarships granted for the whole Dominion anti I shall give the numbers awarded. In the year 1917 the number was 240. Of these the Catholic schools secured eight. In 1918 there were 214 scholarships t the ' Catholic schools won five. In 1919 there 1 were 217; the Catholic schools obtained ten. In 1920, 220 were awarded; the Catholics won two. Then if l refer Ito the senior scholarships 127 were awarded in 1917 of which only two were Catholics. In 1918 there were 120' awarded, ajnd there were five won at Catholic Schools. In 1919 there were 122 and four were won at Catholic schools. In 1920, 122 were awarded, and three were won at Catholic schools. In 1921, 124 scholarships were awarded and seven were won at Catholic schools. Now, the Catholic population is not . quite fourteen per cent of the tota population of New Zealand, consequently so far as population is con- ■ cemed the Catholics have now obtained the number of scholarships they ought to have obtained. If it he said, however, that there are a, considerable nuni- ' her of Catholics in the State schools. ' that 'is true, but the total number at- ' tending Catholic schools is about one-' eleventh of those attending State schools. That would mean that the Catholics ought to have won onetwelfth of tlie scholarships. Take as a test the year 1918, for which we have the full figures. The number of children attending schools was 21/.619. That embrabes all children at all public and private schools. Tlie junior scholarsldps awarded were 214. Tlie pupils at Catholic schools were 18,257. If they were to get their percentage, the Catholics should have obtained 17.9 scholarships. Instead of that they got five. In 1921 their record was very much less for they got only two scholarships instead of getting eighteen. The reference therefore, to scholarships other than the junior university scholarships tells the same tale. . I have not the records of what are termed national scholarships, which take to the university, hut l know from my recollection that Catholics have got very few of them. I have written to obtain the par tieulnrs, and when I receive them T shall forward them to th e Dally Times. The national scholarships are lower .scholarships than the junior university scholarships. There, is one examination and the first ten in the examination <ret. tlie junior university scholarships, and the next fifteen get national scholar ships, and here, as in the other scholarships the Catholics show up very badly.” „ .

' “I regret,” Sir Robert Stout added, “having to make these statements, but if the Catholic people will keep on stating that I misrepresent them, I must fet the public, know the truth. I believe that, as a.n American has said, what we need at present is ‘a, social life which will he corrective of enthusiasms from below, a hospitality to ideals, hut as- adamant against crazes, and that will stand against the pollution of logic by emotion and) the sophistioatin of evidence to the glory of God.”