THE EDUCATION BILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5113, 13 August 1877, Page 3

THE EDUCATION BILL.

- TO THE- EDITOR" OFTHE, E‘EWZEAJ7ANXnnirESr SrE, —I observe,in -your " issue of the 10th inst.’a letter fr6m the pen'of Bishop Redwood, in which the rev. gentleman'states that the Roman Catholics “are-ready to build their owhischools without .assistance from .Government, thus largely benefiting the public purse.” Let me remind".the . Bishop that throughout the provincial district of Wellington there are ,mapy public schools in , which two lor three' children of ‘ Roman Catholic pareptsf are to be'found, and no doubt a few of such- childrenare also to be foundiumany of tlie sohopls* in= thinly populated districts throughout, the colony. I must ask what the rev. 'prelate propbses to do to secure the religions culture of ’ children so circumstanced. WBl the Roman Catholic community build -schools in .every, school district where two or three of that body may happen to reside, or are their children to be left without > religious’ instruction in such places ? Does the revi gentleman mean to say that the Roman Catholic body will educate as many children of other denominations as they can.get in secular subjects only, and yet not, allow one of their own children to attend a ■ public school ? If so, what is to become, of religious teaching for the children of other denominations attending their (the Roman Catholic) schools ? .The reply of the Bishop would probably be they will get secular education alone. To this I Say why then object to the general principle? The.various religious denominations have a conscience to maintain void of offence as well as the Roman Catholics, and have also teachers fully as good as any the rev. gentleman can provide. There, is, therefore, no reason why other denominations should put themselves in a false position .because one religious body claims a preponderance of conscientious feeling. There is an old saying sorpewhere to the effect, “ Let another praise thee, and not thine own lips.’N—l am, &c., . . . E. T.