Untitled

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 192, 12 October 1871, Page 6

Been brought, to bear upon them before tjie,^ h^ad' reached an advanced 'stage. These resolutions, 'however, and tho diacusfiion, thereon, could be found in " Hansard ". — a work of literary art which he imagined none but those who were compelled would think o^' reading. Aided' Schools were to be public schools,, regarding the conduct of which there was a conscience clause. [The Rey. ' gentleman .read the clause referred' when he was interrupted by ah "individual who had evidently .been worshipping at the shrine of B icchus.] Order ' .having been restored, the speaker continued by saying that he wished to' state, the matter in a fair and' unbiased manner. If the meeting .was of opinion that he was biased, he would wish to be called to order; butif the opinion was otherwise, he would ask, .if agreeable to them, to be > allowed 'to go on. — (Applause) The* Provincial schools as 1 at present existing" were not denominational, but fhe Bill under discussion sought to provide * for denominational ism, and was, in short, a compromise. Our IJoman Catholic fellow subjects had said ' that they had not hitherto obtained all they would like ; but the same could be said of other denominations. The Presbyterians had not had their Shorter Catechism taught, nor the Church of Englanrl their Church Catechism. [The inebriated individual before referred to again interrupted the speaker, when there was a

unanimous cry of " Put him out ! " He left in company with Sergeant Dean.] The speaker proceeded. The Koman Catholics were said to labour unck*r disabilities j hut ofcKers wovild be placed in a similar position if the Bill became law. The Riinnn Catholics wo»ild |he priveleged above the other denominations, which he phoiild certainly oppose. He assured them that a'l he wanted was a fair field and no favour. — (Applause.^) Speaking of the probable increase of schools under the Aided clauses, the speaker said his party did not seek State support, but always came forth with freedom, and w:ty could not otjiors do likewise? He could accept th{* position q{ having the bible read in school, but if this did not meet the views of the Roman Catholics, then he.

lyouW s^y let veii«ious twvohirig be

left to the cnurebes to which the children belong. A-ffer condemning the clauses reflating to rates, and referring to the compulsory clauses, the rev. gentleman concluded by saying that if one party obtained assistance, it could not by equity be refused to others. He tS inked the meeting for having granted him a patient hear-

ing, and resumed his seat amidst

applatfse."' _ tion." / . Mr, l^l'Swiney said he wished to propose an amendment. He hoped that all "unpleasant feelings of depriving Qne party of privileges to which another enjoyed would be removed. The Jtomara. Catholics could not con-

scientiously send their children to

sohools where their religion wps not taught^ «ncl he thought it would be uncharitable to pass the motion, as it wonlcl, shut, out one denomination from the advantages enjoyed by others. We alt contributed to the support of schools, flocfali bad a .right to eqnal privileges, p.u,d \h was , wronss to punish one party for , their , religious convictions. Mr. Menzies.had objected to a multiplicity •of schools, ,hut he was of opinion, see-

ing the bad results of the Government schools in the district, that others should be., established^ which would hav,e fche effect of stirring, tip a heilthy spirit of emulation, amongst the teachers. Mr, .Menzies bad also said that his and pther parties. did not get all they wanted, bnt.it must be recollected that a large mass of the community, had been deprived^ of their share of the funds to vhicb they -had subscribed, and in. fact had nob in return received . assistance in the -smallest 4 e g l ' ee ' The Roman Catholics had- felt-, this much. They were perhaps the poorest class, yet they b^d to< support their schools entirely fteujselves,- receiving no help from $overtSinent, .. -It .had been said, that |he< BSoraan ; Catholics. of this province fiacii bfeen, satisfied ivitb the 'present sys£eip of education, until the; arrival of Dr. t Moron, „bat he ,would remind the Dating ,thafc ; the Roman. Catholics' of this: (Jistriatrhad -bad a -school- of their qwtiV few some yoarsji towaxds'whichthey hadfPßGßiyetJ.no assistance. . Not to de- \ tb.f4etaii]t them longer he would read the amendment :-^ <f That the; Bill now beforedbhe Uev Zealand ' Parliament lvib 1 tfoefcparty* assent <of this meeting more particularly claiises 53,53, and 54, which ureikKowri as the Aided School Clauses; andrthiiiraeeetingis of opinion that the enaQtooenioftWweclanses will effectually ruinorvo:- raaay -grievances from which thanwknbers t)f oertwia religious deaonvinatfoHaam soffer'mg." -' Xff.. 'j; ■!**&", S^b'a,' ia* - Tapi^raa^! rfofomit/syaoiV seooixkcl tf>e amendB»e'ni.' n -- ; ' . ; -„'•-.•- i '-' '}$*.? BonoVaia anil il^o»sfeil sapisher'tV^OtidaL '„ ™.y ? ,-'""'"; , ' f fHe m'bfW.yas actually carried, %\Sf Voting beiijg-^f^ A&^ag&ist ! Afcr- . ' , *.■>. *- -.. „: i « The Rev. Dr. Qop)an;& In, a spee-c^-l <^n^eo^naltory-^pf feW a'pjjpiutineai of a * golftio^/^sfcer to.^B^bead oj.thej th^ memt^,<}<|) f clet^Uij J th8 T ,plfi|cring pf, tHe r«^qlfi}^ «M^oiia|rmaobiifc. : mum®, • • |

Mr., P. Robertson seconded.-—Car-ried.

Mr. Jamison said he would .not" detain the meeting at that advanced horn*, l>ut would confine himself to a resolution he had to move regarding the extra taxation which would be involved by the passing pf the Bill. It was obvious that r the proposed system of education could not be maintained without a burden of taxation being imposed in addition to that we already bear. He would therefore move— "That this meeting condemns the direct taxation proposed by the Bill as likely to be excessive and burdensome."

Seconded by Mr. G. Morrison and carried.

The Eev. Dr. Copland moved " That the resolutions passed at this meeting be signed by the chairman, embodied in a- petition, and forwarded to the House of Representatives." ;" Seconded by the Rev. Mr. Menzies, and carried. Mr. Donovan suggested that the vot-

ing for and against the resolutions and amendments should also be attached to the petition, but it was decided that it was not usual to do so.

Mr. Donovan proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, which brought the meeting to a close.