Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1374 "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 323, 21 January 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1374 "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

The resolution passed at, the last Diocesan Synod to establish, where practicable, denominational schools, lias already begun to bear fruit. L;ist Thursday a school was opened in North Dunedin by the Rev. R. L. Stanford on a denominational basis, and our telegrams in Saturday's issue inform us that another haa been opened in connection with St. Paul's. In so far as these are voluntary efforts, and so longas they continue so, the outside public have no right of interference or of complaint ; but as there is every reason to believe that a strenuous effort will be made to secure to them Government support, we cannot afford to wait till this is a fait accompli before sounding the alarm. Our recollections of the speeches at the Synod, and the address of the rev. incumbent on the occasion referred to/ are sufficiently explicit, as to the aim of the promoters to convert this purely voluntary into a State-aided project so soon as the Government can be persuaded into their views. The Bishop, at thft Synod, in explaining the scheme, so far a3 our recollection serves us, expressed himself to the following effect : That in the event of establishing their schools, they would invite the Government Inspector to examine them, and than claim payment according to results ; and more recently Mr. Stanford is reported to have said :—: — " He agreed v?ith the learned Judge who had preceded him, that the money of the State should not be given to teaching religion. Perhaps some of them would say that he was inconsistent ; but he did not think so. He held most distinctly that religion should be taught, but he did not think that the State should teach it The speaker then referred to the principle of the National schools at home, where tlie State left the qiiestion of religious education to the Church." The Bishop's expositions when the scheme was before the Synod, and the reference of Mr. Stanford to the National Schools at home, clearly indicate the drift of this movement, which is neither more nor loss than to establish, at the expense of the Government,.schools wherein their children may be drilled in the use of. the Prayer Book and Church Caxechism, together with, it might be, Bible Wessons. It is true all the religious part of the school training is to be left out the day that the Inspector visits the school ; by mutual agreement no is not to see any of it, and he is expected to report only on the three R's and any other thing that comes under the name secular ; but the direct object for which the schools have been established is to be ignored. It is- nob pretended that- the Government schools nre so defective in secular.instmction as to give riso to this movement ; the alleged defect is that ths children, are not trained religiously to suit the views of the promoters ; and yet the Inspector is to be blind in giving in his report to this, the leading object of these schools, and because of this blindness the State is to pay for them ! The whole thing reminds U3 of that coup d?osil of Nelson, when he put his glass to his blind eyo to read the ordor of recall which had been hoisted on board the ship of tie admiral, ajid then replied that he did not see it. Mr. Stanford is in a similar position in relation to his scheme. The State pay, if only it can be got for his s.choch, will be sufficiently blinding to prevent him from perceiving the inconsistency of the schema ; but the public will be very foolish if they shouki. in like manner be cajoled into the voluntary erf their eyesight.

tp the state of opinion.among us, the only consistent ground tha,t denominational educationists can occupy is that of pure voluntaryism in education. That at best has the merit of consistency,

and we have- never been of the number who have supposed that we are to rush into all sorts of crime and debasement if education, like religion, be lefy to the the voluntary efforts of the community ; and to this the matter will have to come if all the churches go in for denominational schools. It appears to us that his Honor Judge Chapman, who presided on the occasion of the school opening, while going in for denominational schools as an individual, does not indorse what is the ultimate object of this scheme, viz., to obtain Government aid to them. The words of his Honor, as reported in the "Guardian," are as follows: — {> If I were addressing you politically, I should tell you that I was in favor of a secular education; but, addressing you here personally and individually, I tell you that T am in favor of a denominational education ; and, in doing so. T do not think that I am at all inconsistent. When I waa a member of a Legislature in another colony I was in favor of a secular education, so far as it was aided by the State, and I am so still. The taxes of the country are contributed by people of many nations — not only by persons who are not Christians, but by persons who have no knowledge of Christianity. We have in this country a considerable number of Jews and Mohammedans — for many Chinese are Mohammedans. We have also Chinese who are called heathens ; and all these in some way or other contribute to the support of the State. Then, if theso people pay taxes and keep the State, going, they have as much right to State help as we have. As a politician I say they have the same right. There are*o;ily two ways in which the Government can deal with this question. They must give aid to all religious bodies alike, or to none at all, seeing that all alike contribute to the taxes of the country. Yet if the Legislature said, , ' We will give help to all religions and all cr,eeds alike,' the people would cry out against it. The political argument is that State aid shouki be given for secular education and no other. lam not now speaking to you as a politician, but as plain. Henry OKu.ptn£vr» 7 and. I Kave a. i-iglit to exercise" my discretion as beat I 00.i1,. and that consists, in supporting the proposal to have denominational schools." The Judge, with that discrimination for which he is distinguished, and to the development of which his judicial capacity has doubtless contributed, very clearly states the view from a political standpoint as against the position he has taken up ; but we agree with him that there is no inconsistency in that position so long as Government aid is not asked for it, and there is nothing in his Honor's address to show that he at least contem- ; plates seeking that aid. True he is acting along with those who have not concealed what their aims arc ; but we do not charge him with inconsistency on tl?at groutid. We have all of us, unless we isolate ourselves altogether, to act along with those who only go with vis so far in our views, and it wooJd be well for our Church of England friends to weigh the sound logic of the learned Judge's exposition of the political aspect of tho question.