EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20115, 30 June 1914, Page 5

EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENT.

THE POSITION OF CATHOLICS.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

OF EDUCATION.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 29.

The Minister of Education "was waited on this afternoon by a deputation representing the New Zealand Catholic Federation, "which laid before him some important phases of the education question as they affect the Catholics of ;the Dominion. The deputation was briefly introduced by Mr A. H. Hin&marsh M.P. ■;

Archbishop- O'Shea said the deputation represented the Catholic Federation, consisting of 80,000 citizens ot tho Dominion Catholics were labouring under certain, educational disabilities, especially in regard to scholarships. They undersftood^ the Govern^ inent proposed to bring in this session an amendment of the Education Aot^ an 1 he hoped it should be made clear in - that measure that Catholic pupils who -won Education Board scholarships should be entitled to take them out at Catholic secondary Bchools, which were regarded as "equivalent" to State secondary §chools. While several of the Edlucation Boards allow the pupils who had' won scholarships from private primary schools to take them out at secondary schools attached to that denomination, other Boards had refused tbe>jMivi» lege. The deputation therefore asked the Minister to insert a clause in the amending Education Act making it imperative that scholarships won by_, pupils attending primary schools sficraldi be tenable at private secondary schools which were certified by the inspectors as being educationally equivalent to the Government institutions. The Hon. James Allen, in replying, said he quite recognised the sacrifices the Catholics had made in the cause of the education of their children. A& to scholarships, he would be sorry to think that any Board considered the matter of secondary schools from a denominational point of view. Perhaps the d«puta^ tion could tell him privately what Board had acted in that way, and it might give some weight to their argument. He had found the law as it was, and endeavoured to administer it to the best of his ability. He was bringing dttwn an Education Bill this session, and if he found that Catholics were suffering an injustice, the question would receive - every consideration. ' „.