Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 429, 12 September 1877, Page 2

Mr. Bowen's educational measure has received rough usage at the hands of the House; but the most severe blow has been dealt by the Roman Catholics. At Monday night's meeting the discussion on the Bill was such as to leave an impression that the Roman Catholics will not allow of any interference with their liberty of conscience ; but although firm in this resolve, the speakers were temperate, and couched their remarks in the most unexceptionable language. A glance at Father Coleman's speech would convince the most exacting Protestant of the reasonableness of his ideas, and the wisdom of so altering the Education Bill as to meet with the wishes of the religious sect to which he belongs. The Bill is a huge mistake ; for, deprive it of the advantage of beimr a Colonial measure, and it would be one of the most inoperative, useless productions of its kind ever brought before the Parliament of this country. It is evident that what has been viewed by many as a desideratum in an educat'onal scheme that shall be applicable to the whole Colony, namely, the absence of religious instruction, is considered by Roman Catholics as an interference, with their religious rights and privileges, and contrary to the teachings of their Church. It is not only their custom to combine education and religion, but it appears to be one of the rules of their faith, and, as such, should at least be respected. It is only reasonable to assume that Mr. Bowen's Education Bill has been framed, as all such measures should be, with a view to carrying out the designs of the Government, without trampling upon the liberty of the subject ; but, with all due deference to the ability of that gentleman and his colleagues for creating useful and popular laws, we think that his pet educational scheme, which was to have accomplished so much good, lacks the one great and necessary feature of liberality. The Roman Catholics of the Colony are, however, too numerous to allow themselves to be set aside. There is but one thing that may leave a few shreds of the new Education Bill behind, and that is the adoption of some means whereby the religious convictions of the Roman Catholics will be -treated with respect. Surely there would be no difficulty in accomplishing this object.