HOW EDUCATION IS PROMOTED IN NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 139, 10 June 1878, Page 4

HOW EDUCATION IS PROMOTED IN NEW ZEALAND.

[As a rule, we decline to re-publish correspondence that has already appeared in a local contemporary, but at tbe special request of Father Garic, who has for years past done so much to promote the cause of education in Nelson, we have consented to insert the following letter, which was published in the Colonist of Saturday. — Ed N.E.M.] To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.' Sib, — After twenty-eight years of a flourishing existence, St. Mary's Schools, thanks to the new Education Aot, must be fettered and crushed down. The new tCducalion Act, coming into force on the Ist July nest, or, in other word?, the Provincial system, under which Sf. Mary's Schools bad been for years working in a Manner most satisfactory to the public and to the inspector of Public Schools, having bean abolished with the marked dissatisfaction, of the province, I beg to state, for the information of the Protestant parents who have hitherto sent ' «heir children to St. Mary's Schools, fthnt I am obliged to alter the system hitherto pursued in this establishment. The uew Act, under which I am at liberty to place St Mary*s Schools, by its UDJust provisions, necessitates, as it doee Catholics in other towns of the colony, the refusal of a graDt, which can only be received at the expense of violating my conscience. Until now, our schools, being separate schools, according to tbe amendments of tbe AcJ, we had the control of ihe books aud teachers ; but now, by the new Act, we should hare to receive from the New Schoob Board books, in which tbe Catholic religion here and there, is reviled, its history falsified, and, in rasny cases, its miuisters misrepresented. It may be alleged that the- system will be purely secular, but I tnaintuio that it cannot, because the books used are of the character above described. Beside?, we would be exposed to receive from tbe new Board masters and mistresses, io whose hands we could not trust the faith and education of Catholic children. I am glad to avail myself of this opportunity for acknowledging the kindness and fairness of the Central Board, with whom our schools have been working whilst under the Provincial system; but now we have not before us ths same security nor the same roeiins of protection. We prefer therefore to opeu our schools under a Bystem which will bo independent of (ha Government, and which will enable US to conduct them at our own discretion. I beg also to thaok the Protestant parents who have sent their children fo St. Mary's Schools, and have givec us their hearty support for the past twenty-eight years, without having preferred a single instance of proselytism, or undue interference with the religious convictions of ihe children they had placed under our charge. It may be remembered that, from time to time, I published in «he papers tbar, I consented to place St. Mary's schools under the operutiou of the Provincial system, yet I would support the denominational wherever and whenever it would be practicable. Now I glad to see that I am forced into if, lam glad because it is a eyetern whicb wiil suit our principles acd" viewe. However, I am forced into it because we are not prepared to go to the expense, and yet we must do it unless we sacrifice our principles and . violate! the dictates of nur conscience.' We are not prepared to go to the expense/ because we shall receive no ai.j nor any assistance from a Government who call themselves liberal, but who, by most unjust and tyrannical measures, have framed an Act of Education by which Catholic parents and Catholic teachers are excluded from such scoole except at the expense of their religious convictions. And yet, "New Zealand Catholics," as states a contemporary "are compelled to pay in one year £30,000 to maintain agodlens system of education from which they derive no benefit whatever, whicb excludes every Catholic book and every scrap of Catholic literature from its halls j practically closes these balls agaiost Catholic teachers; and absolutely ignores, even as an historical fact, the very existence of the Catholic Church. Nor is this all. The New Zealand' Government, which so unmercifully fleepe3 its Catholic subjects to promote snti - Catholic and godless education absolutely refuses to give one shilling, evsn of their own money to he!p Catholics in BupportiDg their own Chr'ißtian and Catholic schoole." In Catholic schools, children, indeed, are taught that there is a God ; that they have to serve Him, and keap His commandments , that that God will reward the good, and punish the wicked ; that fco Him they must offer their studies' as well as their other works during life' that they must ask Him to make them succeed and prosper. But they are also taught all the branches of secular instruction which are taught in G overnjnent schools, or any other school of the same standard ; and after school business is over, they have to thank God for the favors received, and offer to His glory all they have learned. By this method, Catholics have the control of their books and teachers, and see that their children receive together good secular instruction grounded upon religion. Ifc is no wonder.if many good Protestants prefer to send their "children to such Catholic schools, rather ibaQ send

them to godless schools, where \>y the new Education Act they will not be permitted to hear of tbeir Maker, nor to learn the duties they owe Him. Meanwhile, in opening our Catholic schools, we shall endeavor to make arrangements, as much aa possible, to enable Protestant children, who would wish to attend them, to do it at the time when secular instruction will be given. Further information as to fees, &c, will be given by advertisement at the end of this month. I am, &c, A. M. Garin 1 , Catholic Priest, Nelson, June 7tb, 1878.