The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-05-20
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
IN NEW ZEALAND
SAVES THE STATE. A QUARTER OF
A MILLION DOLLARS ANNU-
ALLY, SAYS ARCHBISHOP
REDWOOD.

In the course of an address at the
recent blessing of a new Marist
Brothers School in Wellington, New
Zealand, the Most Reverend Arch
bishop Redwood said: ITO show what
Catholics have done and are doing in
this fair Dominion for education, a
few facts will amply suffice, speaking
as they do more eloquently than words.
There are over 10000 pupils in our
primary schools in New Zealand, so
that in teachers salaries and working
expenses alone the Catholic body saves
the State at least 100000 year. In
the Archdiocese of Wellington alone
during the last ten years the Catholics
have spent the sum of E25,000 in the
erection of primary school buildings,
without counting the cost of the land
upon which these buildings stand, and
in the Archdiocese alone we save the
State an annual outlay of from sixteen
to twenty thousand pounds year ON
primary education. While in regard
to secondary education during the
same period of ten years the Catholic
body in the Archdiocese has spent in
the purchase alone of land and the
erection of secondary school buildings
thereon no less sum than E48,000.
Add to this the cost of the annual
maintenance of these secondary
schools, and you will see what none
tary sacrifices our people are making
in the cause of Catholic education.
During the last thirty years since the
present education system has been in
existence in New Zealand, we have
saved the State in primary education
working expenses alone), no less than
the sum of e1,100,000. This does not
include money expended on lands and
buildings, and repairs of same
"Now, these facts show emphatically
two things: First, the magnificent
zeal Of Catholics in pursuit of the kind
of education which they appreciate,
and their fixed determination to have
it at any cost; secondly, the grave in
justice inflicted on them, a seventh
of the population of the Dominion, by
being compelled to pay taxes for pub
lie schools to which they cannot con-
scientiously send their children, except
in the case where, owing to the small
number of Catholics, no other schools
are possible. Catholics do not build
their schools to oppose other denomi-
nations. They have no fight with PEG.
pie of other faiths. Catholics have
never asked, and will never ask, one
penny from the State to help Catholic
propaganda, or as remuneration for
olics, in the nature of justice and fair
play, do demand equal wages for equal
work; they demand that as they edu.
cate half the Catholic children of the
Dominion in their own schools and at
their own expense, and spare the tax
payers thousands, and, in the long run,
millions, of pounds, they should have
the money they spare the Government
and the taxpayers refunded to them
for the secular knowledge, up to the
Government standard and under Gov
eminent examination, which they i'm
part to at least half their children in
the Dominion. They should not be
fined and oppressed for imparting one
item of education beyond the secular
curriculum required by the State, when
that item is the most important of all
to form the very citizens of whom the
State and society at large stand most
in need, namely, men and women who
will be God-fearing, law-abiding citi-
zens-men and women to be relied
,Scsr 1G
thing dishonest and corrupt-who can
be depended upon to support only a
clean and pure administration of pub
lie affairs.
Until the day dawns when this gall
ing grievance, this crying injustice, is
removed and their just claims acknowl.
edged and granted, they are deter
mined to maintain the struggle in the
cause of God and religion. But it may
be said-and is said foolishly-if
Catholics receive grants for their
schools, even on the plea of the secu-
lar knowledge only which they impart,
other denominations will make similar
claims, and then goodbye to the secu.
lar system throughout the Dominion.
Nothing of the sort-it is a false and
groundless fear. Why so? Because
the other denominations have prac-
tically accepted the secular system
have no conscientious grievance SINH.
lar to ours, have made no sacrifices
Of money for the establishment of
separate schools like ours; and there,
fore they have no claim that any
wise Government would listen to for a
moment. But supposing that, taught
and encouraged by the example OF
Catholics, they were in future to'begin
to make sacrifices and set up separate
schools of their own while sparing the
taxpayers vast sums per annum, as
we do, why, then, education would gain
and the country at large would be
enuivalently benefited; and If this led
ultimately to the destruction of the
secular system, 1t would only prove
one thing, that the secular system IN