CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 34, 30 June 1914, Page 5

CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

A GRIEVANCE AIRED AND CON. SIDERED.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Education was waited on this afternoon by a deputation representing the New Zealand Catholic Federation, which laid before him some important phases of the education question as they affect the Catholics of New Zealand. The deputation was briefly introduced bv Mr. A. H. Ilindmarsh, M.P.

Archbishop O'Shea said the deputation represented ,the Catholic Federation, consisting of 80,000 citizens of the Dominion. Catholics were laboring under certain educational disabilities, especially in regard to scholarships. They understood that the Government proposed to bring in this session an amendment of the Education Act, and he hoped it would ibe made 'clear in thfcit me&auire that Catholic scholars who won Education Board scholarships should be entitled to take them out at Catholic secondare schools, which were regarded as "equivalent" to 'State secondary schools. While several of the Education Boards allowed pupils who had won scholarships from private primary schools to take them out at secondary schools attached to that denomination, other boards had refused the privilege. The deputation therefore asked the Minister to insert a clause in the amending Education Act making it imperative that scholarships won by pupils attending primary schools should be tenable at private secondary schools where certified by inspectors as being educationally equivalent to the Government institutUTli'e Hon. J. Allen, in replying, said he fully recognised the sacrifice that the Catholics had made in the cause of the education of their children. As to the scholarships, he would he sorry to think that any 'Board considered the matter of secondary schools from a denominational point of view. Perhaps the deputation could tell him privately what boards had acted in that way, and it might give some weight to their argument. Had hivl found (fa linv as it \va-'.. and had endeavored to administer it to the best of his ability. He was bringing down an Education Bill this session, and if he found tint Catholics were suffering an injustice the question would receive every consideration. The Minister, speaking further, gave the deputation to understand that ne was onlv too anxious that Catholic school teachm should !»• afforded cveiy opportunity for undergoing the physical instruction course laid down for public school teachers. He would consider the ' question of making arrangements _ for the supply of school journals to private primary schools.