Speech of J. London, M.H.R.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3636, 21 August 1880, Page 2

Speech of J. London, M.H.R.

The following is an extract of the speech as published in Hansard of Mr Lundon during the want of confidence debate:— ...

" I belong to a class which is the poorest in New Zealand. lam not afraid or ashamed to say that I am a Eoman Catholic, and a bad one at that. • I am now speaking in the presence of the honorable member for Newton. We ha?e known each other for twenty years, and hare been great friends in our time; bat now we meet in the lobbies and pats, looking very black at each other—and the fault is not mine. X say now. in the honorable gentleman's presence, that he has often said, " Jack, you would be a fine fellow if those oldpriesti had not such a hold of you." Well, I wish they had a hold of me, but they hare not; but lam afraid that an older boy will hare a hold of the honorable member for Newton. I say that on this subject of education you are going eduoationrmad, and I hare said to the honorable member for Newton-that itwould drive him to the lunatic asylum yet.. Is it fair for 1 this country to ask us —the poorest people in New Zealand—to pay a portion of £500,000 to educate the children of the rich ? All denominations are richer than we are. 'We hare come from a poor country, and we are always sending money to that country. Looking orer the late subscription lists in aid of the people in Ireland; our names do not appear there for very, large amounts: and why P Because we have all, got to send money to our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, or sisters in our natire land. I was told by a' member in this House, a Scotchman, that his servant has mortgaged her earnings in order to send money to her people in Ireland. Is it right to tax one-twelth of the whole community to educate your children, when it is impossible fdr that twelth to benefit by the svstemr-because if you are > Roman Catholic you must obey the Church, and if you do not obey the Church you can be any other religion you like; for they will not christen your children, or marry your daughters,' or bury your dead. If you do not do what the Church tells you, you are no Boujan Catholic. But the Catholics^ who derive , no benefit from the system of education ■ adopted in this country, will have to pay 1 towards the education of the rich: at the 1 same time the poor Catholic will have to. take the money out of his day's pay and support his own schools. That is what the Catholics are doing now. It is not idle talk with them; they are doing it, and I believe will do it 15 the end of time, !if need be. If you want to make New I Zealand a. great and glorious nation, I I Bay, give us that right whioh is given to others, instead of making us pay for the 1 education of the rich, and at the same time compelling us to put our hands into our own pockets in order to support our own schools.. In this matter of education you are not doing justice to us. Last year I heard the Premier say he would not interfere with education. I was glad to hear him say that: but this year he does not say a word about it—he lets things go as they will. I bare read a specoh by the Governor, at the opening of the Normal School, Wellington, on the education question; and I must say I believe in that Governor—that Governor is the man for me. He spoke in the fulness of his heart, and spoke the truth, and this country ought to take a lesson from him.".