THE CATHOLICS AND THE EDUCATION BILL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 428, 11 September 1877, Page 2

THE CATHOLICS AND THE EDUCATION BILL.

A largo meeting of Roman Catholics was held last evening in the Catholic schoolhouse for the purpose of considering the Education Bill now before Parliament. The schoolroom was well filled, and the meeting was highly enthusiastic, but throughout the utmost good feeling prevailed. On the moiion of Mr. J. Cogviv, seconded by Mr. Cahill, the Rev. Father Coleman was voted to the chair. The Rev. Chaikman, in opening the proceedings, .thanked the meeting for having appointed him as Chairman. He said it was scarcely necessary for him to explain the object for which the meeting had been called, as all present knew that they had met to comider the new Education Bill which was now before Parliament. He did not purpose saying very much on the subject, as he thought it would be better to leave that portion of the work to t u e proposers and seconders of the resolutions which were to be submitted to the meeting ; but he would endeavour to explain briefly the principal points of the Bill. The object of their meeting was to confer together on the Education Bill only So far as it concerned themselves. With the convictions of the many other religious denominations, and their opinions on the Bill, they had nothing whatever to do ; they (the Catholics) had only to consider the provisions of the Education Bill in so far as they were likely to affect the welfare of their .own children. The Bill stated that education was to be free and compulsory, and at first says that it should also be secular, but afterwards says that the Bible and the Lord's Prayer should be read in each school daily. The pompulsory portion of the' Bill would press exceedingly hard .upon Catholics, because it would compel Catholic children to attend Government '-Sch'ttols where they would receive no religious instruction except the reading of the Bible and the Lord's Prayer under Protestant teachers. . This teaching the Catholic children could not accept. According to the principles of their Church, tiey held that whatever education they le reived should Le LLnded with I religious instruction, and that the children should, be constantly reminded of'

tiiei* responsibilities to the Snpreme N Being, the great creator of the universe. Without this they held education to be an evil. Their religious convictions carried them that far. They held their Church to be infallible, and were bound to follow its teachings. Toe head of the Church declared that secular education without religious instruction was dangerous to their faith and morals. If secular education only was given, it would tend to ruin the child's mora's ami injure their religious faith. Tliis was not a matter of opinion, but a matter of c mviction based upon the teachings of the Cauro i. When the Oliurch says that education must be | given to their children in a certain way, they were bound to olu-y, and if they failed to obey they would cease to lie Catholics. 'lhere were opinions which men could surrender, but tiiey could not surrender their religious convictions to any man or any government. T.iis th.-y were called upoti to do when asked to accept purely secular education. They were asked to violate their consciences, and were asked to do that which they believed to be injurious to them now and injurious to them hereafter. Thus they could not accept purely secular educitioii. Then, with -regard to religions instruction, they cmldnotaeoeptitfrom Protestant teachers. if tney were to accept religious instruction, they could not accept it except from Catholic teaehe s. If they were to receive reh\ioas in»trucU >n from others ti.au Catholics ti.ey would become apostates, and that they con id never be. He did not make use of th.se words to annoy persons belonging to other denominations, out simply in jusiiiicitionof nisowiicoiiv ctions. '1 he 1 ea-'.ing of tiie B.ble nu rpreted, and the Lord's Prayer tiiey did not object to, but they objected to receive religious instruction from others t.ian Catholics, and in any other form than that taught by the Catnol.c Church. In connection with the reading of the Bible aid the Lord's Prayer, there was a provision m the Bill wlieivhy enildren could, by taking a written note to the teacher, be excused from attendance at tue schools during religious instruction. T.iis was a bad practice, and would subject Catholic children to the sneers and insults of other children, Their religious faith would be derided, and it would have a ve.-y injurious euvet upon their belief if they were subjected to these sneers. The Bill was' also objectionable because it compelled Catholic children either to attend the Government schools or to produce certificates of attendance at other schools presided over by teachers holding an order from the Education Boards. All these Boards would he composed of Protestants, and it would be unjust to compel a teacher of a Catholic sc.»ool to obtain a certificate from sue i a Board. To give the power propos.-d to be conferred on the Education Boards was throwing in an apple of discord among the pooplo *>*' tl>« Colony, who had hitherto lived on good terms with each other ; and it was wrong to permit that one portion of the community s.iould have the power to domineer ov r another. The Education Board would probably throw hundreds of obstacles in t ie way »f Catholic teachers obtaining their certificates, just because they were Catholics. It a Cit:iolic teacher failed to obtain a certificate of efficiency from the local Committee, the parents of children attending the school would be liable to be summoned and fined if they persisted in sending their c nldren to that school and not to t ,e Government school. The parents might be perfectly satisfied with the teacaer and wita t ie instruction their c .ihhvn were receiving ; but if the teacher did not '.'old a certificate, the Government would step in and refuse to allow them to send their children to their own schools. Whatever might be the f te of the Bill, this clause should certii.ily be expunged. The reading of the 8.1 l would aiso preclude Catholic teachers from participating in tue highly-paid positions in Government schooh, no m ittor wiiat their talents might be. T.iis was unfair. Simply because they were Catholics tiiey would be debaired from earning a honest, livelihood by means of t leir talents. With regard to Mie books used in Government schools, tiie name of the Supreme Being was scare ly ever mentioned in them. T is the head of t-'ie Catholic C mi re i held to be dangerous to faith and morals. As no Roman Cat lolic teacher wonll ever be able to obtain a Government school, the teac iers must either be Protestant or infidels ; and Catholics could not allow their c nldren to be taught by either Protestant or inlidel teachers, because naturally the children would become imbued with the opinions of the teachers. The Catholic Cuurch recognised the parental right over children, and specially liicl it down that no religions teaci.ing should be givi n to Protestant children placed under their aire. This was not the case with Protestant and intid-d teaciiers, and more especially as such teachers were always anxious to imbue the children placed under them with tl.e'r principles. Therefore it would be da lgerous for Cat lolic children to be placed under their control. The Bill required all Cutho'ies to violate their 'conscience, consequently it was unjust and unfair, particularly in a new colony, where men of all denominations expected and required that fair play should be accorded to them. Wnat did they want from the Government / They wanted .justice ; they did not want to be called upon to pay for the support of sc-iools to which they could not send their children ; they wanted a fair field and no favour. If the .Government gave | assistance to other schools, tiiey also ! asked for support. Tney asked the ■ Government to give them a share of the Government grant, towards which they had to contribute. If this were conceded to them, they would undertake to give their children a secular education which '

tfould be approved of t>y the Government Inspi ctors. If they failed to do thin, \$ the Government stop the grant Wlh| they said they Could not accept the systei j ofedncition which the Government pro* posted, they had a right to bo believed j the Government should respect their relj

gious convictions. If this were done, n ill will would arise ; but the Governtneif

could carry on their schools, and tli'| Catholics theirs, and a spirit of hoisotj rivalry would spring up between tlie tw] systems. If they (the Cat holies) found tht.*, system fail, they could adopt another ; at any rate they were entitled to a trial of i£ Tliey wished to have a system wlncj] would avoid denominational dissension!;

and tend to make peace and harmoti | | tvigu amongst the people of the Colon; | ~J What they "wanted was a secular educijjjJ tion, blended with religious and he considered it their duty to hM-% their grievances before the public and tli i J country, to ask for aid in giving seculiJ* education, combined with religious ii.jg st ruction to their children. If it was n| j| fused they could not help it, aid woul«|J have to hear it, as they were the weake' i ami the others were in a majority and w.-jd power. It was their duty to protw j against it, and lay (heir grievances befoi 'j the public, and ask if they were denuvn 3 i:ig anything unreasonable or unfair. Til i tjovernuit:i;t proposed levying a tax 1 .] L(K upon all c lildren, and promised L j addition to give a grant of L 3 10s. Wli* not give the sanu grant to Catholi | schools, and allow them to provide jeculi.,, , education for their children, combine ; with r. ligious instruction} If the vernment taxed them they Bhoiild cu*]\.l tainly accord them that amount of hu|j j»» p.,rt wnich would ensure their children,j* receiving a fitting education. The tion raised against the proposal to mal j, e meessions in favour of the Catholics w*iii that 01 her denominations would ask ft

similar concessions. So far as ho caul,, see, otncr denominations were H;iti»fit^ Jfj with tin; liill because the reading of Uil.le iiml the Lord's IVayer was in a* conlanc ! with tlieir religion, and did i><»••£ compel them to violate t'icir convictions y But if the Catholics accepted it thej, j; would violate their consciences, and | »; tliey did so in one matter why not U j others i How, he asked, could they 1). ', expected to respect the laws of u counM >;; tie Government of which asked them t - j violate their consciences and forogo tin*' *, religious convictions / He had dwelt *> ? the Mill longer perhaps than he inte-iiled 1 j hut it was with the intention of uointhjj T out a mode which would ouablu ny Catholies t » take part in promoting tli, g well-being of the Colony, and the neoni. g, in it. m'{

[The rev. gentleman resumed Ilia mi:. amidst loud applause. His speech through | out was of a highly tempi rato charaotu i and partook of the nature of a conoiluA <| torv address. ] 'j. Air. Thomas Dunn, in proposing t\h first resolution, said the- Chairman haf| f lit hut little for him to say. He cotil'j, •; only, in common with his fellow-Catln *> lies', protest against the Education JJil^ . It was unjust for the Government tg« attempt to interfere with their religion)!; \i convictions. Tney had experienced ,|j. dilliculty in establishing their no!ioo|i;j' and it was unfair for the tioveinuieiar* now to step in and undo all they dontJ 5 lie concluded a lengthy and forcible - j speech l>y moving the following roNqli l^- *: tioii :•-- , That we protest against the Governmur * inteifciiig with the udnoutional arrang « incuts of Catholies, unless a fair share , tlie educational fund he allotted to schools, in accordance with the religiuu ( j convictions of the Catholics ; and moreovi we prote-t against depriving Human Cutln r lie teaches from accepting appointments i* ! ' Government sell ols. , ~

Mr. M'Cauthy seconded tho resuliitioM and said that it was not merely ;ih Oatlic lies that they sought redress, but nl Bri'ish subjects, who had a right to h® heard. ~ The resolution was then put by tli* Chairm-m, and carried by acclamation. *, Mr. Khahns briefly proposed tho nexjj resolution, which was as follows : ~ That we protest against Catholic teacher* being subject to the sup'Tvio'on or authorit; jj of <;«>%• rnincnt inspector-, teach'-rs, or com g Dittoes in receiving authority to give oorti{} lieales of attendance to Catholic children.* in isinu h as i will tend to perpetuate roli'.« jrioiis i.ittcrnessj an 1 we also protest again* g the Gov •hoik nt depriving us of partakiiiff of tlie e lncational grants owing to our rch j< prions connections, at religions conviction! > and not cxp diency are the soie caiue of out * opposition to the Kduea'ion Mill. g Mr. Caonky, in a lengthy speech, second'd tie resolution, ami said thaf ll * the Government c >uld not give them any* support they should u Handy not to cripple the Catholics in their efforts to,} give their children an education in ancj with the teachings of their religion. The resolution was carried mous.y. _ :| Mr.' O'Korke proposed the third roso- , lution, as follows : | T a', in ca--c the Government refuse to > g'vo U3 such ui'l as can be accepted, woA hereby pledge our-eives to support our own I schools, and thereby make an effort t<i SUViI for our children the. religion, of owr Author*. '1 The resolution was seconded by Mr. * Coovix, and c irried lananiuiously. * Toe Chairman then said that tho j'OBO-1 lutioiiß just passed were not put before | the Giveinn cnt as a threat; but merely gL in order that the Catholic schools might W receive a fair share of Government nun-1 port. If tho Government poruuvered in J withholding that support from them, it 1 should only rouse tho Catholics to ry- • newed emrgy to do all they ponld. to ) secure for their childrep an education in i accord nice with their relkdous teaching, "a He hiyl made arrangements for opening J the Catholic school free to all so soon as » the Government schools were opuifad free. He would do hi* share of the work, and .

he felfc sure othera ivould help him. He would himself provide a house for the teacher, and knew that a number of gentlemen would willingly subscribe his salary. Mr. Keakns moved, That Ihe resolutions passfd be forwarded to Messrs. Hislop and Shriinski, M. H.R.'s, with a request th:.t they would use their best efforts to give effect to them. Mr. Cogvin seconded the motion, which was carried. A vote of thanks having been accorded to the rev. Chairman, the meeting terminated.