THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4595, 11 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

During the recent session of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, holden in Canterbury, a report of the Committee on Education was brought up by the Eev. Hill, Convener, and a discussion ensued upon it. The report and discussion evolved very much matter of importance in connection with the question, and we are happily in a position to afford our readers the report of the committee, and also a resume of the discussion which followed it. For some unaccountable reason the Christchurch papers furnished nothing like reports of the proceedings in the General Assembly, preferring rather to fill their columns with some ridiculous church scandal in connection with the parish of Kaiapoi. The following is the report : “Though your committee have not felt called upon to take any definite action during the past year, they have not been unwatchful of the measures for promoting education that have been adopted or maintained throughout the colony of New Zealand. After a verbal report was given in by your committee at the Assembly held at Wellington in December last, a few remarks were made by some of the members, and the subject was dropped ; but your committee think that now the Assembly should earnestly consider the whole question of State education, and, if possible, agree on some definite course of action to be pursued when necessity may call for it. It is known to us all that by certain parties in the colony strenuous efforts are being put forth to obtain the establishment of a denominational system of education; and your committee are convinced that the members of the Assembly will be thoroughly opposed to such a system, and will come to a resolution to do all they possibly can to prevent its establishment, either by the colony as a whole or by any of the provinces. Your committee need scarcely refer to the injurious consequences that must inevitably result from the formation of such a system either by the General Government or Education Boards. The insufficiency of the education secured, the misappropriation of the public funds, the danger of favoritism, and the jealousies and heartburnings engendered among the ecclesiastical bodies in the colony, are evils which are before the minds of all; and your committee are satisfied that these evils will secure a most zealous and determined opposition to such a system on the part of members of the Assembly, wherever or whenever it may be required, and to seek a system more in harmony with justice, the advancement of education, the interests of relimon, and the welfare of the State.” The report goes on to say that it is easier to object to a system than propound a better and support it with conclusive and satisfactory reasons, and concludes with the statement that the solution of the problems of the religious difficulty in connection with a general system of education will be successful, just in proportion as a Government more nearly approaches the position of non-interference with the religious opinions and liberties of the people. In the discussion that ensued, The Eev. Mr Hill, in giving in the report, said he regretted that such a subject as that of the report should have come before the Assembly at such a late hour. It would be remembered that at Wellington reference was made by several members to the subject of education. They ought to go further on this occasion. No doubt the main and more immediate question at the present election would be abolition of provinces, but there could be no doubt that the question of a general system of education. would be before the public as well, and that in the next Assembly, or that which followed, an Education Bill would be introduced. It was well known Catholics and other denominationalists were using their efforts for the establishment ofj denominaticnalism. Various systems were proposed. First, ho might mention what was termed the limited system of education. That system provided only for education of the most limited type, and only for the poorer portion of the community. Ho held it to be the duty of the Government to

provide for all its subjects. Then there was the denominational and undenominational. It was well known that Roman Catholics had their heart set on denominational, education. Iu this effort they were supported to a considerable extent by the Episcopal Church. It was said by some that the Roman Catholics did not interfere with the children of other persuasions that attended their school. To this he need only say that the Pan-Presby-terian Council found it necessary to lay down as one of its objects to watch over the movements of the Roman Catholics in this matter. The denominational system he regarded as a misappropriation of public funds, and the teaching of religion in the schools brought in unhappy division among the children. The question was what in these circumstances ought to be done. For his own part, he preferred the system that existed in A-uckland, which was secular. Secular education alone was taught inside the Government school hours. The school door was open before or after for any who chose to give religious instruction, Mr Hill held it to be the duty of the Government to deal with secular education only. The Church ought to deal with religious instruction; and if the Church did her duty in this matter, there should be no cause of fear from secular education. These were his sentiments. They were sentiments that were making progress in every community. A measure, based on this principle, was carried, and was now in force in Auckland. The Rev. Mr Frazer, Christchurch, in moving the adoption of the report, observed that he would leave the teaching of the Bible to the people themselves. As to the use of the school buildings, he would allow the parents to do what they liked with their own property. Provision was being made in Canterbury for sound instruction ‘in the facts of Bible and profane history. Even such men as Huxley and John Stuart Mill would give these subjects a place in any sound system of education. If they yielded the denominationalists an inch they would take an ell. Denominationalism in every shape and form was to ho resisted. One of their leading men—Mr Stafford—was miserably defeated in an election, iu which he went in for grants in aid to denominational schools. He was resisted and defeated on that sole ground. The English mind in Canterbury was thoroughly sound ou this subject, and thus they had kept the denominationalists entirely at bay. The Rev. Mr. Douglas, of Akaroa, said he did not like the secular system. He had some experience of schools in the Home country, and there they had little or no difficulty with the Roman Catholics. He preferred the system in use in Canterbury to that of Auckland.

The Rev. Mr. McKinney said it was necessary for the Church to watch over education, but be thought her own education committee as worthy of being watched ever as the Roman Catholics. The Catholics desired school instruction should be permeated by religious instruction, and he desired that it should not be permeated with secularism. He would not deem it sate to put a secular system into force. In so doing they would be placing themselves in antagonism with such men as Huxley and John Stuart Mill. He was not prepared to offer any solution of the question ; nor would he attempt to have any such thing as a solution by the Canterbury Act. He should prefer the system of education which was in use in Ireland, drawn up by Archbishop Whateley, R.C., Bishop Moray, and Dr. Carlyon, The Rev. Sir. Bdrnett, of Ashburton, expressed dissatisfaction with the Canterbury Act, as not being sufficiently seourte against denominational proclivities. They were not divided in the importance of religion. He would like to see the Bible read in the school, but there was no agreeing in the matter. The consensus of the public mind was entirely in favor of an undenominational system, and such was the system which would be set up. The Rev. Mr. Sidey, of Napier, said he was of opinion that Mr. McKinney used the term secular in an improper sense. In educational matters *it was simply used as a convenient term to express the teaching of common subjects. He would like to say a few words to show how denominationalism extended itself and crushed out of existence all beside. In a district formerly supplied by State schools, these had been supplanted by one Church of England school, and two Roman Catholic, leaving one State school in existence, and all this within a compass of three miles, with a population of from four to five hundred. The State aid given to these schools would be over £3OO for the education of from eighty to a hundred children, including hoarders from a distance. This showed the gross abuse of public money that would result from the support of denominationalism. The Rev, Mr. Barclay, Timaru, expressed himself very strongly against the aided school clause, which he said was likely to he attempted by some to be introduced in any new Bill. Such a course ought to be resisted to the uttermost. The Rev. Mr. West would give it as his opinion as a teacher, and as one who ought to know a little about education, that in this colony State education ought to he undenominational and secular.

The Eev. Mr. Elmslie expressed his opinion as being strongly in favor of a national system of education, and spoke against denominational schools as being utterly impracticable in such a country as this, because of the variety of religious sentiment which prevails. He believed that most churches would prefer denominational schools ; if such institutions could reasonably be asked for and properly maintained. But in New Zealand, the adoption of a denominational system would either involve the Government in a most enormous expense, by calling for the erection of three or four schools, where one was amply sufficient; or it would give us schools of such an inferior character that the educated portion of the community would soon be heartily ashamed of them. The Eoman Catholic Church, he said, was almost the only body which noisily raised a cry for denominational schools; and this he could only account for by observing that they were manifestly afraid of the enlightenment which would follow the open teaching of public schools, and that they were much more deeply interested in the work of a successful propagandism, than in the advancement of a high-class education. This remark he confirmed by a reference to statistics recently gathered from Italy and Ireland, and bearing directly upon the low educational standing of the people in these countries, in so far as they are connected with the Eoman Catholic Church.

The Bev. Mr. Gillies, of Timaru, said he disliked both the denominational and secular system. He thought the case cited by the Bev. Mr. Sidey an exceptional one. He (Eev. Mr. Gillies) would think it unfortunate if the secular system were adopted. The Eev. Mr. Blmslie said the Bev. Mr. Gillea did not seem to recognise the possibility of the State providing secular education without positively prohibiting the reading of the Bible at extra convenient hours, when desired by parties concerned. It would be a great evil if the civil law were to insist on the reading of the Bible during the ordinary school hours, inasmuch as it is quite possible that the teacher himself might be an infidel. The only thing which devolved upon the State was to make ample provision for the secular education of the people, and leave the teaching of religion in the hands of the parents and the churches. The Bev. Mr. Shepherd, Havelock, said he knew the district referred to by Mr. Sidey. There were once four Government schools there; now there was only one. There were three denominational schools now. The fact was the State schools disappeared before the denominational schools, as the Maori rat disappeared before its European brother. The Eev. Mr. Boss said that from the discussion that took place ho could clearly see where the members of that assembly would bo found when under fire in this contest. A determined and united front should be presented to denominationalism. Denominationalists were at the present moment endeavoring to get in the thin end of the wedge, and drive it home whenever the opportunity presented itself. He maintained that it was the duty of the State to hold aloof altogether from religious division, and legislate only for secular education, leaving parents, school committees, and teachers per*

fectly free to attend to this matter, before or after schools hours, if they chose to do it. It was to be regretted that some politicians, for the sake of a block vote were found to go in for denominationalism, or rather special denominationalism. Denominationalism he regarded as privateering ou the part of the various denominations concerned, while the State, as their parent, supplied her children with the resources of war. Special denominationalism in favor of one or two parties was piracy. All who, for the sake of the block vote, arx-ayed themselves under the black flag, deserved to go down with it, as had happened to Mr. Stafford on the occasion referred to. The grand objection was that denominational schools hampered and nullified a national system. Mr. Shepherd made reference to the fate of the Maori rat as an illustration of the fate of national schools alongside of denominational ones. He would add one letter more to the illustration and say, the denominational school was like the rata tree, which began and climbed the mightiest giant of the forest as a mere trailing vine, but which went on and grew until it crushed its support and stay—first out of life, and next out of existence. He hoped the day was not far away when secular education, as some chose to regard it, would be deemed so sacred a thing as to he left no longer the football of politicians on the one hand, nor the lever of religious propagandists on the other. The Rev. Mr. Bruce, of Auckland, called attention to the fact that it might be well to watch over the higher schools of the colony, and to guard against denominational tendencies there. The following motion was then put and carried unanimously :—“ That the report he adopted ; that the Assembly remit it to the committee and recommend the ministers and members of the Church to see that due means are taken to watch over the interests of both elementary and superior education, and especially to promote the establishment of a national and undenominational system.”