Two Agitations

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 28 March 1907, Page 9

Two Agitations

The Reformed denominations in Victoria were not happy till • they had public instruction secularised there in 1872. " The measure was swept through Parliament on 'a tornado of anti-Catholic invective. The true color of the supporters of the Bill (said the Hon. Thomas Howard Fellowes at the time) was ' an Orange banner blazoned with " No-Popery." ' The measure failed to effect its purpose— which (as Mr. Wilberforce Stephen saidX was to ' rend the Catholics asunder ' ('Argus,' June 26, 1872). And now the very same forces are at work, under the same old saffron banner, and with the same old methods of vituperation, to un-secularise the public schools and make them in effect the Sundayschools of the va-ious Protestant denominations. Nay, a raucous cry for the compulsory closing of all Catholic schools has gone up from the mouth of the interesting gentleman whom a Sydney weekly describes as ' the woolly-headed microbe whci bosses the Orange lodge in Victoria.' The incident is referred to here as indicating the temper of the movement for sectarianising the public schools of Victoria, and compelling Caiholiqs to uay -a part of the expenses of the process. * In all the years since 1872, the clerical agitators have been too tired to impart instruction in the schools. There is a Hottentot saying that ' labor kills a man but strengthens a woman.' There is. a good deal of . such Hottentot philosophy among the nonCatholic clergy when there is a question of laboring' for the souls of the little ones in the secularist public schools. c Let the Bible ', says the Archbishop 'of Melbourne, ' be . taught out "of sohool hours by the " representatives of the different denominations." Abundant opportunities are already afforded for this purpose. ' During four different periods of the day, namely, (a)

before the first school session, (b) at the end of the first session, (c) before the second session, and" (d) at the end of the second session, . religious instruction may be given at present in- 1 State schools. These ample opportunities do not satisfy those whose -great ambition is to Protestantise the State schools, to transfer from their own shoulders to the State the duty of giving religious 'instruction, and to lay the" foundation of a State religion.'-