DICTATION OF THE CLERGY TO THE CATHOLIC ELECTORS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2153, 27 November 1875, Page 2

DICTATION OF THE CLERGY TO THE CATHOLIC ELECTORS.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sir,—Amongst all the taxes imposed by the Legislature of New Zealand, per-" haps none has been more, obnoxious than, that raised for educational purposes, or! rather, I should have said, than the man-: ' t ncr in which it has' been raised and distributed. It has met with all sorts of ■ objections from conscientious persons, first, on account of its irreligious ten*' dencis; secondly, because it makes the poor contribute to the rich, .and lastly, because it collects from all alike. No one could object to assist the poor in educating their children ; but. the poor consider it very unjust to be called upon to contribute to the education of those who can so well afford to do it themselves.:: Again, _the present system has met with opposition from religious communities, who are anxious to educate their children in their own faith, and who ask to be allowed to do so under Government su-, pervision, receiving a fair proportion of the rate collected. Catholics, for asking : this boon, are blamed by many, and I see now going the round of the papers an article headed "Dictation of the Catholic Clergy." Believe me, Catholics require no dictation: their consciences are their dictators. When a religious body believes * in a Creed which says" That whosoever ; willj.be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith, which Faith unless he do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly," it wants no further-, dictation. What • dictation would ever hare induced the Catholics of the Thames ;. to subscribe within two years, (independent of the Education Rate) upwards of £1200 towards educating their children in the doctrines of their Church if their hearts had not been with it ? But why ! complain of the Catholic community wish- ' ing to see their - children brought up in the faith of their forefathers ? Are not other communities of the same opinion P What meansi the collection nowmaking— the gift auction of to-day—but an attempt > to raise money amongst outsiders to found a high-class Protestant school, which half the subscribers to will never be benefited by? If it is necessary to educate the. children of the Upper Ten in the faith of the Protestant Church, surely it is equally^ : so with the lower, class. If it is o&pfe first-class school required, . believe me there arc plenty of ladies of talent who; will take alt the trouble off the committee's hands if. they will only guarantee a certain number of pupils, at a certain price, without begging from door to'dbor the means lo give their children a eu- ; perior education the expense of those , whose own children would not.be admitted. This wondrou3 charity of the 19th nentury! Where will it all end.—>l ' am, &c, :

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