THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 202, 14 December 1871, Page 6

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — Tn taking good-bye of Mr. Stanford in my last, I did not intend it as a good-bye to the public. The Education Question is very far frc-m being exhausted, and the need for discussion has not yefc abated. Information as well as arguments are still needed to guide the nublic mind to a right course of action

On this account I would again trouble you with a brief review of the legislation on education in the province of Otago — to help thereby the general question. It has been said that the educational system of Otago is " Presbyterian to the back-bone, and Puritanical to the last degree;" and I have also beeu told that the system is entirely Presbyterian, and they are such a bigoted set. Such statements having been made — the one in print, the othQr to me personally — I have enquired into the history of public education in Otago, and what have I fouud — as represented ? By no meaus. There has been only oni* teacher lauded in Otago for the service of the Presbyterians as such, and he came along with the late Dr. Burns. When he died, the settlement was for a time without teachers, till the year *oQ ; at which time the first Education Ordinance was passed, and both the preamble and provisions of that Ordinance clearly reveal that the denominational platform was departed from, and a system introduced as nearly as possible national. The preamble is as follows :—": — " Whereas secular instruction should be available to children of all denominations within the province of Otago ; and whereas the reading of the Holy Scriptures and instruction in the principles of religious knowledge are consonant to the opinions, religious professions, and usage of the great body of the people of the said province be it enacted, &c." The only other places where religion is mentioned in the Ordinance relates to the ploi-tion and dismissal of teachers, as follow? :—": — " Every candidate for tbe office of school master in any publicschool shall produce a certificate signed by a minister of tho denomination to which he belongs attesting bis religious and moral character," and he Wat? to be dismissed if found testching "religious opinions at variance with the doctrines of 'Holy Scripture," Thus far the Education Ordinance of '56, aud we now pass on to the Ordinance of ' 62. _ (That of '6*l passed in July was disallowed m December of the same year.) This Ordinance is so far an improvement on the apprentice legislation of '56, and shows that the "Old Identities" had learned to put their views into a more business-like form. There is a distinct clause introduced into the Bill of '62 defining the kind of religious education to be sanctioned in the schools of the province — "In every school established under the provisions of this Ordinance, tho Holy Scriptures shall bo read daily, and such religious instruction given as the district School Comroittee shall appoint, provided always that no religious doctrines shall be taught at variance with what are commonly known as Evangelical Protestant doctrines, and provided also that the hours for religious instruction and Scripture reading shall be either at the opening or close of the school daily, as may be fixed by the teacher ; and no child, whose parents or guardians shall object to such instruction, shall be bound to attend at such times."

You will perceive, that so far as these two Ordinances go, the Presbyterian element is entirely excluded, and the only opening they give to Presbyterian ism is, that under the* pbrase3 " Evangelical Protestant Doctrines," and " religious instruction," school committees, w'lere Prssbyteriana were in the ascendant, might introduce the Shorter Catechism, but the people had an instrument in their hands whereby they could prevent the public schools being turned to any denominational purposes whatever ; but Jam not aware that any instance ever occurred in which it was necessary for then) tv use that power.

The. Ordinance of ' 62 only held for two years. In '64, at a public meeting . held in Tuapeka, it was represented that the clause • relating to religious instruction in the existing Ordinance was offensive to the Roman Catholics, The discovery of gold in Gabriels had introduced new elements into tbe population, or had so increased certain existing eleim>ntp, that the balance hitherto existing was disturbed,, and to meet this change it wa^s enacted — " {n every SGbpql established under the provisions of this Ordinance, the Holy Scriptures shall be read daily, and such reading Bhajl be either R.t the opening or close of the school as may be fixed by the teacher,!' (mid no child compelled to a,tj^nd ) The effect of this change was to render the above clause practically permissive to both teachers and scholars, aiul to throw the schools open to all denominations. I know one school where 0t onetime religious instruction \v«r entirely excluded, and anothe-r wherp ihe office of teacher was held by a Bloman Catholic-; and yet we are expected, to beMeve ,that the system is ' "Presbyterian to the back-bone, and Puritanical to the last degree F' Those who can thus pervert facts show either amusing ignorance, or that they do' not Wfcte to sacrifice truth for the sake

of turning a, period."" Il(roreover7"^fiey are the last into whose * hands the country ought to entrust & denominational system, even though guarded by a conscierce clause. • Though quite ready to put their bands into the ratepayer's pockets and filch him of his money, they retain the right to shut the door in his face if he should wish to know how the money goes. If any one doubts this, he- may obtain satisfaction by'consulting the new Ordinance.

But further, so far from the Presbyterians being open to the charge of bigotry in the educational arrangements of the province, they deserve credit for their liberality — a liberality that will bear comparison" with any othor province in New Zealand, and lose nothing by it. There is no question with me that had the Presbyterians been as clamorous for denominational teaching as the few noisy individuals who are, they would have had it. There seems an understood principle with the Solons who comprise our legislature, that the patient and forbearing ought to be made to bear any amount to silence the clamour of unreasonable men. If that is their principle, we had all better take up the trade of demagogues, and demaud that each of us should have all our peculiarities granted to us, and it would be seen what sort of Babel would result. As it is, they are laying on additional straws on the back of the camel, and all concerned may as well know that the back will break some day. A good sprinkling of the Episcopalian clergy and some of the laity have come forward to l.elp their Roman Catholic «' brethren " as they were called by one of the Litter. If they expect us to believe them disinterested in this, we have heard and read enough to enable us to say they are mistaken. Their purpose is not concealed — to have a share for themselves ; only little by little seems' to be their motto. The Roman Catholics fii'st 1 , and then

Now what are the Presbyterians to do meanwhile who outnumber both the Anglicans and Roman Catholi<A taken together. Oh ! they are to abide by the concessions they have made, and we graciously make them a present of the rest, and we ourselves will concede nothing. Well, this does seem loading the patient cauwl with a will, and 1 would say look out- gentlemen that tho back of the camol is not broken, and the proverbially warm temperament of the Scotch substitute for the camel, the symbolic figure on her national escutcheon wreathed with the traditional thistle and motto, Nemo me impune lacessit. which has been freely rendered into their native doric, " Wba daur meddle wi' me."

I would warn all cqneorned. that if the Aided Schools Clauses are passed to allow full denoaiinational teaching to any, the majority for whom the provincial schools are intended will not quietly submit to the injustice! — I am. &l\, John M

KNZIEB.