To The Editor.

New Zealand Tablet, 11 August 1921, Page 27

To The Editor.

Sir, I respectfully call the attention of the priests and teachers of our schools to the notice appearing in this issue of your paper, under the heading “Scholarships' in •'$ Catholic Schools.” It will he remembered that last year our Government, in accordance with the answer the members had given to the P.P.A.’s question, “Are you in favor of maintaining the national system of free, compulsory, and undenominational education without endowment, concession, or privilege in any form to any sectarian or private school?” decided to deprive our Catholic boys yand girls of the right they had under the Education Act of 1914, of talking out the scholarships, won by them. in % open competition, in our Catholic secondary schools. When • in last year’s Amendment of the Education Act, this pro- $ vise, was given effect to, I promised that our Catholic children should not be allowed to suffer on account of the '.i excessive meanness and bigotry on the part of the Govern-SS ment. I repeated that promise publicly at the opening ofS the residence for the Christian Brothers in Dunedin.; I M am pleased to say that now through the Catholic Federa- S ion and the generosity of the teachers and private friends this promise will be fulfilled. -■ ' ' v It is the intention of the Federation to give the same® concession in regard to scholarships as the pupil who wins-Jl them would get from the Government provided the scholar- ■ ship is taken out many one (boys’ or girls’) of our secondary schools in the diocese. This will include fees and' even '" board on the same conditions as the Government’s,- and it ' lull include Catholic, children who may gain a scholarship', V from Government primary schools where there is no Cath pl ic primary school, provided the scholarship is taken ■ out the diocesT 1,1 * C ° thohC reßister, ’ d secon dary school In to ’ I Mr® 11 the attention of our clergy and teachers to ; the dates of entrance for the scholarship examination printed. above, and urge them to send up for these ‘ ex ; animations any child likely to gain a scholarship and com-'? 1

municate to the; Diocesan Council of the Federation the' names of the children who are successful.—l am, etc., V' —Jambs Coffey, President of the Diocesan Council of the Catholic Federation. St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Dunedin, August 9, 1921.