THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1912. ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 9 November 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1912. ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

The Roman Catholic Schools of Now Zealand have been recognised by the State for some years past. They have done excellent work from a scholas- , tic point of view, and although many will view" with disapproval tho disintegration of the secular system of education which would be produced if otlier denominations were to follow the Roman Catholic example, none will deny the sincerity of those who liavo mado self-sacrifices for the maintenance of the separate institutions, and few will dispute the claims of tho Roman Church to having relieved the State of a considerable financial responsibility. The Government has recognised these claims in a measure, and Ims mado provision by which students attending tho Roman Catholic Schools may be exam- 1 ined for scholarship passes under tho Education Boards. The right is,, however, reserved to the latter Boards to compel the taking up of scholarships under institutions controlled by the State, and this right is being exercised in some cases in the direction of compelling attendance at State-aided secondnry schools. Tho Auckland Education Board was recently applied to by the Roman ! community for permission to allow j scholarship winners in Roman Catholic schools to take up their scholar- ! ships in recognised Roman Catholic j Colleges. This application, for reasons best known to the Auckland Board, was refused. A similar ap- i plication is now being m«d« to the

Wellington Board :-ud it will be interesting to know wii.it attitude will be taken in the matter. H seems to u.s that if the right of a sepaiate primary institution is recognised, there can be no logical reason why | the privilege of pursuing secondary j education in Roman O'Lholic instituj tions should not be also conceded. A | line might be drawn, to prevent «',n- ---! ners of scholarships in Slate sc-tioolK 1 from following them up in iionian Catholic schools. We presume that our Roman friends would cot object to this condition being applied. Moreover, the State should exercise somo little supervision over the education in tho private secondary schools, so that there would bo a guarantee that the scholarship moneys are expended to the best advantage. On the general principle, there should be no objection to a scholarship-winner in a Roman Catholic school pursuing his studios in a Roman Catholic College. The State, having granted the right, subject to the consent of the Education Boards, good reason should be shown why that | consent is withheld. We should be J glad to know what reasons have prompted the Auckland Board to refuse the application recently made. The spirit of intolerance should not be allowed to assert itself in this community, particularly in adminisI trativo bodies.