CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2390, 4 January 1909, Page 6

CATHOLICS AND EDUCATION.

STATE SYSTE3I \ AND “THE ROAD TO PERDITION.” Speaking at a gathering in 3Yeliington Archbishop Redwood, after •referring to the legislation of 1576, in consequence of which Catholics were called upon to build their own schools in New Zealand, said that they had obtained the only real and solid system of education in the Dominion'. 31an's education ought to be in accordance with wliat he was marie for. Every man was marie for a supernatural end. If they did not educate a boy or -girl to that end it was a great mistake. That was what the (State education in New Zealand did not do. The system was lopsided. It was simply leading on to the road to perdition. The system of Catholic education in New Zealand was such tint- a young man could be educated up to the university on Catholic lines and in a Catholic atmosphere. The Bishop of the country, he went on to say, would one clay be a New Zealander. That change would come just as it had done in the United States. Already some 50 New Zealanders had come out of St. Rat-rick’s College to join the ranks of the clergy in the Dominion. The Catholics were stronger today than* if their schools had been provided by the State. Their adversities had united them, and to-day they were a great force in the countuv. Continuing, Archbishop Redwood said that democracy was on its trial, anrl he believed that in the future the Catholics would be the light of tho country. They would be able to errant the' working man his rights and give him justice. If the people did not (follow the Catholics they would fall into the gulf of Socialism. Seven-eighths of w-liat the Socialists were asking for was right, but in the remaining eighth they wanted to distroy religion and tlio home, and if there was no religion people woiild get what was known as an atheistic democracy. He could not imagine anything' more. horrible.