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Newfoundland Legislative Assembly, 6 March 1865, Newfoundland Debates over Confederation with Canada.

1 THE NEWFOUNDLADNER. St. John's, Monday, May 1, 1865.
TUESDAY, March 6.
The house met at three o'clock.
Mr. EVANS presented a petition from James Harvey and others, of Burin, which was received and read, praying that he may be compensated for making a road there.
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
The SURVEYOR GENERAL presented a petition from David Candow and others, of King's Cove and settlements adjacent, which was received and read, praying for a grant to complete the road between that settlement and Bonavista.
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
Mr. GLEN presented a petition from Robert Raymond and other, of the Goulds, which was received and read, praying for a grant to open a road to Shoal Bay.
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
Mr. GLEN also presented a petition from John H. McKie, of Bay Bulls, which was received and read setting forth that he had filled the office of Stipendiary Magistrate and Preventive Officer of Customs at that place, for the last 53 years, and praying for a retiring allowance sufficient to support him in his old age.
Mr. GLEN, in moving that the petition lie on the table, would observe that he believed that the claims of the petitioner to liberal consideration would be recognized on both sides of the house. He was now eighty-one years of age, and had served the colony for fifty-three years, and there never was a complaint of the manner in which he discharged his duties. He found it necessary, on account of his increasing infirmities, to resign his offire some months ago, and the Government granted him tile usual allowance of half salary, on his retirement, being ÂŁ75 a year; which was the same as was given to other retiring magistrates who had been only 7 or 8 years in office. The Goverment however, consented to the matter being brought before the house, that his claim to an increased allowance, on account of his long services, might he considered by hon members. He (Mr. Glen) intended to propose in committee on supply, that the retiring allowance be made ÂŁ100 a year, with which the petitioner would be perfectly satisfied.
Mr. E. D. SHEA.—The manner in which that claim came before the house entitled it to the most favourable consideration by hon members on both sides. The petitioner had spent a long life in the public service. He had given great satisfaction, and his character for integrity stood high; and while the government, adopted the usual course in the matter, they marked their appreciation by suggesting that his claim should be brought before the house for special consideration. He (Mr. Shea) was satisfied hon members on both sides of the house would readily assent to the very moderate increase which would be proposed, that the retiring allowance to their venerable gentleman be increased from £75 to £100 a year.
Mr. A. SHEA fully agreed in all that had been said respecting the services of the petitioner. He had known that gentleman for many years, and he would only observe that his conduct publicly and privately had secured him the respect of all to whom he was known. He had given the country the service of a long life, and he (Mr. Shea) had no doubt that house would take the same view of the case as the government had done; that his long services fully entitled him to the very moderate incrense of his retiring allowance suggested by the hon member who presented the petition. In the appointment of the gentleman who succeeded him, the government had selected a worthy man an old and respectable resident; and it was highly creditable to them to have selected for the office a gentleman so eminently qualified,
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
Mr. LEAMON presented a petition from Edward O'Keefe and others, of Brigus, which was received and road, praying for a grant to erect a public wharf there.
Mr. LEAMON, in moving that the petition lie on the table, would observe that it was on a subject of great importance to the community. All the wharves at Brigus were owned by private parties; mostly by planters, who did not care to have them made use of for the public accommodation; and in the fall of the year especially, much inconvenience was experienced when the Conception Bay Steamer arrived, in landing and embarking passengers and goods.
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
The SURVEYOR GENERAL presented a petition from Samuel Evans and others, of Greenspond, which was received and read, praying for a grant to build a bridge between that Island and Ship Island; also a petition from John White and others, of Greenspond, which was received and read, praying that no further grant be made to construct the bridge between that Island and Ship Island.
Mr. WYATT had great pleasure in supporting the prayer of the latter of these petitions. The former he would oppose, as the bridge prayed for would ruin the harbor, if erected.
Ordered that these petitions lie on the table.
Mr. E. D. SHEA presented a petition from Michael Hayes and others, of Brigus South, which was received and read, praying for a grant to repair the bridge to the Island there.
Ordered that the petition lie on the table.
Dr. WINTER presented petitions from James Verge and others, of Trinity, from Michael Murphy and others, of Trinity Harbor, from A. H. Cole and others, of British Harbor, from James Werge and others, of Plate Cove, from A. W. Bremner and others, Trinity South Side, and from Thomas Lawler and others, of British Harbor, whicn were severally received and read, praying for grants to repair and complete roads in these localities.
Ordered that these petitions lie on the table.
Mr. WINTER also presented a petition from B. Sweetland and others, of King's Cove, which was received and read, praying for the appointment of a keeper of the half-way house between Trinity and King's Cove; also a petition from Alexander Bremner and others, Conmissioners of the public wharf at Catalina, which was received and read, praying for an additional grant for its competion.
Ordered that these petitions lie on the table.
Dr. WINTER gave notice that, on to-morrow he would move an address to his Excellency the Governor in Council, on the petition from the Commissioners for the erection of a public wharf at Catalina; also that he would ask the Surveyor General to lay before the house an estimate of the expense of erecting a bleakwater at Grates Cove.
Mr. LEAMON gave notice that he would, on to-morrow, move an address to his Excellency the Governor on the petition of the inhabitants of Brigus, for a grant to erect a [?] wharf there.
The hun Acting Colonial Secretary, by command of his Excellency, the Governor, presented to the house the report of the Board of Works for the year 1864, with accompanying documents relating to the various services under control of the Board.
Ordered that these documents lie on the table.
2 THE NEWFOUNDLANDER.
Mr. KENT presented a petition from John O'Connor and others, Roman Catholic inhabitants of Carbonear, which was received and read, setting forth, that petitioners, during the last twenty-two years, had a majority in the Board of Commissioners of the Carbonear Grammar School, that whenever a vacancy ocurred in the said Board, by the death or resignation of any member, the Government heretofore always observed the rule of giving the Roman Catholis a Preponderating influence, according to the well understood intention of the Legislature when the law for establishinent of the said Institution was enacted; that petitioners are aware that in the month of January, 1864, the surviving members of the Board applied to the then Governor in Council, to fill the places at the Board vacant by the death of Joseph Ryan, Esq., a Roman Catholic, William Bemister, Esq., a Protestant, and Richard McCarthy, a Catholic; and as no reply was received to the application, and as a recent appointment of two Protestants has been made, without any reference to the existing members of the Board, thereby giving the Protestants a prepoaderance in the management of the school, petitioners beg leave to state that the regard they said appointment as an infringement of their rights as Roman Catholics; and praying that that the house would adopt such measures as they may deem fit, to reinstate petitioners in the rights and priivileges which they so long enjoyed in the management of the Carbonear Grammar School.
Mr. KENT, in moving that the petition lie on the table, said it related to a subject which he had fancied had been definitely settled a quarter of a century ago. The complaint which he had now to make to the house, and to which that petition referred, was occasioned by religious dissensions, and he, therefore, regretted that he was the medium of the matter being placed before the country, more particularly now at a period of our history when it was hoped that all religious discord in educational subjects had been done away with, and when we were all to be sent about our business, and to appeal to the country in order to secure a fresh return. He (Mr. K.) thought that at a period like this the Ministry ought to be particularly cautious not to impress the mind of the country that they were acting with feelings of partiality towards one class—a course which must tend to the spread of acrimonious feelings and religious dissensions. He (Mr. K) regretted it more particularly at this time, when we are going to lose the services of the talented leader of the Government. For he (Mr. K) fully believed that if the hon Attorney General hid been made acquainted with the circumstances of this case, and the cause of this complaint, he would very soon have checked the sectarian tendencies of those by whom he was surrounded. In 1843, Mr. Barnes, in moving the second reading of the Education Bill, quoted the following protests of the Roman Citnolics and Protestants on the system that at the time exist- "As His Excellency is well aware, the cause of conficting opinions in Ireland was, as long as the system of which the foregoing resolution is in substance the same, and formerly adopted by the Kildare Street Society, in Schools, and we are sure His Excellency is aware that we, professing the Roman Catholic religion cannot countenance or support a system which has been condemned, not only by the superiors of the Irish Catholic Church, but by his Most Gracious Majesty's enightened Government.
"We must further submit to Hs Excellency's superior judgment the situation the foregoing resolution will place us in as Roman Catholios, and waich we are sure he will see that we have no aftemative left, if he should be pleased to accept our resignation, as we would not conscientiously remain as members of a Board of Education whose object is to divert the public moneys granted for elementary education, into religious or sectarian purposes.
"We beg also to inform. His Excellency that prior to the passing of this resolution, we repeatedly and solemnly told the Board, that if they adopted it, we had no alternative left but to request His Excellency would be pleased to withdraw his approvol of the same thereby preventing it from becoming a Bye-law, or if he should approve of it, to accept our resignations, and which solicitations appeared to be quite useless, and which was the cause of our withdrawal from the Board before the conclusion of the meeting.
"We are quite satisfied His Excellency will view our conduct in a favoravle light, in withdrawing from a Board that cannot have our support, if such a line of policy is continued; but, on the contrary, must be conscientiously discouraged by us.
We have, &c.,
(Signed) DENIS MACKIN,
CHARLES DALTON,
PETER BROWN,
JAMES POWER,
"Under those circumstances, we, the only Protestant members present at the meeting, have found it impracticable to perform the important duties assigned to us. And therefore beg leave, as the only alternative, to tender to His Excellency the Governor, our resignation and to lament the existence of a law that prevents us the free exercise of our judgment upon a measure involving the best interests of the community.
We have, &c.,
(Signed) BURT, Episcopal Missionary,
J. PICKAVAUT, Wesleyan Missionary,
THOMAS RIDLEY,
JOHN STARK,
WILLIAM STERLING.
The Honorable the Colonial Secretary.'
The Education Act of 1863 put an end to all these sectarian disputes, and its provisions had been found to be so fair, so equitable, and so just, that the educational vote had always been granted without one word of complaint being offered. The two Grammar Schools in the district of Conception Bay, at Harbor Grace and Carbonear, had been established for the purpose of giving a superior education to the youth of the higher classes, and at the time of the passing of the Bills, there was a tacit understanding that the majority of the Board of Commissioners of Harbour Grace should be Protestant, and that in Carbonear, where the majority of the people were Catholics, the Board should nave a Catholic najority. Throughout the past twenty-one years, through different forms and classes of governments, this rule had been strictly followed, until now, for the first time, that it has been changed. Now what has there been to justify this? If the Protestants of Carbonear felt aggrieved at the conduct of the Directors there, they could send their children to Harbor Grace, as the Catholics of Harbour Grace could send their children to Carbonear. It had been stated that a petition had been sent in to His Excellency the Governor, a few days ago. He (Mr. K.) would ask whether it had been prevented? Had it been suppressed? He appealed to the hon Attorney General, whether he was to receive an answer or not?
Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL –Certainly not, without a proper notice being first given.
Mr. KENT —When the character of the Government was affected by this question, was it possible that they would get rid of answering on a mere matter of form? What he said was that these parties stated that a petition was sent to his Excellency the Governor, and was he (Mr K) to let it so abroad, that the present Government, in order to carry out their own section views, had that petition suppressed? Why were these vacancies in the Board not filled up immediately? What necessity was there to leave it without a quosrum for twelve months, unless there had been some sectarian conspiracy to change the character of the School? What satisfactory answer could the Government give the country relative to this movement? Four of the Board there, being a quorum, appoint a teacher. The Government wait until he is appointed, and then they appoint two Protestant Directors to the Board. The Chairman, who had resigned, resumes his place, and actually questions the legality of the act of the Board, the incompleteness of which was itself occastioned by the remissness of the Government. Look, then, at the manner in which the Government endeavored to throw the odium of their act upon the Governor. Since the introduction of Responsible Government, all appointments were made by his Excellency in Council. Did they wish to escape from the turnitude of their proceeding by throwing the responsibility in this case upon his Excellency? (The hon. gentleman here read the form of announcement in the Gazette) It there was any mismanagement of the school, why was it not properly remedied? Why was not the teacher dismissed? He (Mr. K.) contended that perfect faith should be kept with the people of Carbonear, and no act should be permitted to derange what existed for a quarter of a century. Now, he would ask the Attorney General to allow that nomination of the teacher to continue. Would he, in the eleventh hour, and when we were on the eve of a general election, allow that good faith to be violated which had existed so long? Now that he was going to retire from politicil life, would he not preserve the rights of the Catholics, not only of Carbonear, but of the whole country?
The hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL sincerely deprecated in common with the hon member for St. John's East, Mr Kent, the existence of any sectarian feeling, whether in the district of Conception Bay or elsewhere. He must say, however, that in his humble judgment, if any such feelings were produced they could only be attributed to hon member, Mr Kent, and his somewhat unreasonable pretensions. That Grammar school at Carbonear had been a reproach to that town for years, and a constant source of trouble and annoyance to the Government. Constant complaints had been made as to the total inefficiency and worthlessness of that school, and that the money which was expended was entirely thrown away. It was not agreeable to be compelled to say anything that would reflect on the character of the dead, but it was absolately necessary that under certain circumstances the truth should not be coucealed. It was a notorious fact that for years that school had been in such a condition, owing to the conduct of the Principal, that few persons sent their children to it. In fact the money given for its Support, was merely for the education of two or three pupils who attended. Now hon gentlemen knew this to be true, and also that one denomination had, at their own expense, to provide a school, so that their children might not be deprived of the benefit of education. Not only was that notorious, but it had come before the Legislature last session when a petition was presented to the House praying that an enquiry should be had into the working of that Grammar School. A similar petition had been presented to the Government, who directed an enquiry to be made, but which led to no satisfactory result. It seemed that the Commissioners, or a majority of them, were disposed to uphold the all condition of affairs, and so the school continued to be a reproach to the Board of Directors. Now in his (hon A Gen's) opinion, it made to difference who these Directors were. Whether they were Protestant or Catholic they should have made some effort to place the school in some state of efficiency. Things continued this way until the death of the late Master of the school, when it was considered that a fitting opportunity had arrived to place the school under proper management. The Consequence was that one party made application for the appointment of two Roman Catholic Directors, another for two Protestants, while a third party applied to have the grant divided, and to put an end to the difficulty, without giving any cause of dissatisfactoin to either party. Under these circumstances, and seeing these conflicting opinions, the Government would not act in the matter, and addressed a letter to the Commissioners, telling them to do nothing until the subject was brought before the Legislature, unless the people of Carbonear so settled it themselves as to enable the Government to deal with it satisfactorily to all parties. Recently, however, the Board, acting in direct opposition, to the orders of the Government, appointed a teacher from one of the Common Board schools without showing any regard to the wishes of these who were as much interested in the welfare and efficiency of the school as themselves. The information which the Government had of this proceeding was communicated to them by the Chairman of the Board. He was requested to call a meeting relative to the quarter's salary that was due the late master, and after that had been settled they suddenly proposed to him that he should resign. He was taken by surprise, and they passed a vote depriving him of his position as Chairman, and immediately proceeded to appoint another master. The Chairman having recovered from his surprise, and refused to contenance their proceedings, declined remaining any longer at the meeting. Notwithstanding this, the three other gentlemen, in defiance of law appointed this master and regularly installed him in office. When this was reported to the Government they wrote to Carbonear stating that such proceedings could not be countenanced, and in order to prevent similar occurrences until the matter could be fully considered and disposed of by the Legislature, two persons were appointed to fill up the vacaicies in the Board, one being an official of the Government in whom they had perfect confidence. These then were the proceedings which the Goverment adopted, and which they were quite prepared to defend and justify, and of which they were ready to take the responsibility. The hon member, Mr Kent, had presented a petition from the Roman Catholics of Carbonear. That however was but one side of the story. No doubt now the Protestants, seeing what was done, should [?] themselves,and we would have a petition from then stating their views in the matter. If any sectarian strive on any way resulted from the occurrences, it would be produced by the curious observations of the hon member, and the unreasonable previsions of the petitioners. It mignt be true that the majority of the population of Carbonear weee Roman Catholic at the [?] this school was established; but he (hon A Gen) had yet to learn that when that majority was changed, the Board should not be hanged with them. His [?] of the matter was, that when this school was established there was a majority of Roman Catholics in the population of Carbonear, and consequently here was a majority on the Board. The same principle was recognised at Harbour Grace where the circumstances were the reverse and the Protestants had the majority when the Grammar School was established. But if in the course of time the majority came to be the other way, he regarded the principle that governed all these things as applicable to a Board, the Protestants having the majority and consequently the largest interest in the effciency of the school, should have the majority on the Board alos. Would it not be manifestly unfair and unjust that if the Roman Catholics so decreased that only one or two of their children attended this school, they should [?] by their majority retain the control and management of it? The school was for the benefit of the community, which was clearly shewn by the fact that the Board was a general one. But the appointment was not made so much on that accounts as to prevent this Board from any further intermeddling with the school till the matter was settled by the Legislature. The hon member, Mr Kent, says that by the Act one of these schools was to be Protestant and the other Catholic, and that a tacit understanding was entered into to that effect. He (hon Attorney General) could not agree to any such tacit understanding. With whom and by whom had it been made? It did not appear on the record, and therefore it could not be taken into consideration. The hon member must also consider that other people have rights to conserve as well as the class he represents; and they would not readily yield them. The government were only desirous of occupying a neutral position and of doing equal justice to both parties. He was glad that some action was taken so that the matter might be fairly considered and disposed of.
Mr. RORKE regretted that the hon member for St. John's East, Mr. Kent, should have imparted anything of a sectarian character to the question before the house; indeed, from the tone and temper of the hon member, it was evident that his feelings on that question were of a vindictive nature. He (Mr. R) had no intention of following such a course; but would merely state what had occurred on the establishment of the Carbonear Grammar School in 1843. He had a conversation with Mr Munn, who was at that time a member of the Legislature, and, he had told him (Mr R.) that there had been a tacit understanding that, as the majority of the people in Harbor Grace were Protestants, they should have a Protestant majority in the Board of Directors of their school, and as the majority of the population in Carbonear were Roman Catholics, the same principle would be alopted there, and the majority on the Board would be Roman Catholics. But he (Mr. R) did not, neither did Mr Munn, understand that such an arrangement was to be binding upon them for all time to come, no matter how the relative numbers of the several Religious denominations might have changed. If the Protestants in Carbonear now were in the majority, they should certainly not be governed by a Catholic majority on the Board of Directors of that school. The hon member, Mr Kent, had stated that this institution had worked harmoniously. He (Mr. R) must correct that statement. He had been one of the Directors of this school, and when the first meeting was held to take into consideration the appointment of a Master, the Board found that the Rev. Mr. Gleeson had already entered into an agreement with the late Mr. O'Donovan for the office. Mr O'Donovan arrived and the school went on very well until it was found necessary to apply some of the fees to the repairs of the School house and other incidental expenses, and then there was found an unwillingness on the part of Mr. Hanrahan, to state what the arrangement was that had been entered into with the Principal. It then came out that the Directors had no control over the fees, as they had been guaranteed to the Master. This difficulty always arose at the meetings of the Board, when it was found necessary to make any repairs or additions to the School house. They found that instead of their being the masters of the Principal, he was theirs and that they were unable to exercise any control over him. Mr. O'Donovan was a man of considerable attachments, was well qualified for the office of teacher, and everything went on satisfactorily for about ten years. He (Mr. R) had resigned his office as Director, as soon as he saw that the Board were powerless. The School had declined rapidly until not more than two or three children attended it. It was very natural, then, for the Protestants of the district to feel themselves aggrieved. Yet they remined silent, fearing that they would be changed with indulging in sectarian feelings which the hon member, Mr. Kent, had imputed to them. It was only within the past two or three years that they had petitioned this House. He (Mr. K) had presented two petitions on this subject before and he had now another. The Petition which he now held in his hand showed a desire on the part of the Protestants to prevent any further ill feeling, by having the grant divided. He did not see anything particular in the selection of this session for making this application. The circumstances of this institution had forced it upon the inhabitants of Carbonear, to do something to remedy the evil, that existed. They were determined to have their rights, and would fearlessly insist upon them.
Mr. A. SHEA fully participated in the feelings of regret expressed by the hon member for St. John's East, Mr. Kent, at the introduction of a question calculated to call up those animosities and dissntions which we ought all to endeavour to repress. He had listened very attentively to the observations of the hon Attorney General and of the hon member for Carbonear, Mr. Rorke; but he could not see that they had in any way made out a justification for the course which had been pursued. The hon Attorney General first justified the course that had been followed by saying that the majority on the population of Carbonear were now Protestants. How was that ascertained? Certainly not by the last census, if it was discovered then, why was not this change effected at that time, and why did the Government wait for this convenient opportunity to carry out their views? The hon member, Mr Kent, had put the matter very fairly, when he stated that these schools in Harbor Grace and Carbonear had been intended as an offset to each other, and that the arrangement was not based upon the small and narrow grounds that were now suggested. In order to get out of this difficulty, hon gentlemen would now endeavour to divide the grant. Were they prepared to divide the grant in Harbour Grace, or the general grant throughout the Island? Did they imagine they could stop here, after accomplishing a certain work to suit their own purposes? Of all men he was surprised to hear this proposal from the hon member for Carbonear, Mr. Rorke. We all knew what was the state of society in the district of Conception Bay, a few years back. Did hon gentlemen wish, by pursuing such a course of conduct as they had commenced, to call again into existence there sectarian animosities, especially at a period like this, when we all had hoped that they had been buried for ever? This legislation would make the Roman Catholics feel that they were d prived of their rights. The effect of such proceedings on the general welfare, the peace of society, and good governement, ought not to be overlooked. Upon a sensitive point like this, the Government should be careful to avoid any intermedlling; for the effect of it would be to destroy the interests of Roman Catholic's, so far as the education of their children was concerned, and the natural result would be to produce a very extensive feeling of distrust and uneasiness on the part of the people. If an incomplete man had been placed in that school, his place should have been supplied by a properly qualified Master. Had the government any gratitude now that they would get an efficient teacher? Injustice is done to us, and yet we are told that we are the cause of it. He (Mr S.) knew that some parties had their mind fixed on this subject for some time past. The hon member, Mr Rorke, had been influenced by those whose designs no right thinking man would countenance. Would there be no others who would sympathise with the people of Carbonear on this act of injustice? You desire now to entirely change the character of the school, and make it so that the Roman Catholics of Carbonear can feel no possible interest in it. This was not the way to remedy the evil.Is it because there had been a slight change in the population, the denominational character of this School was to be changed? Supposing another change took place to-morrow, was this institution to be a bone of contention for ever. The Board in Harbor Grace was constituted on the same principle; and we never had any complaint of its working. It would have been easy to have remedied this matter leaving unchanged the character of the school. He (Mr. S.) feared that the consequences of legislation would have a range far beyond what was contemplated, and might have a great effect upon the next election. If the Roman Catholics of Carbonear felt that they were to be ostracised in this way, and excluded from the privledges they were enjoying, there could be no doubt but that it would be attended with serious consequences all over the Bay. The people could not tamely submit to such palpable injustice. Depend upon it, the Roman Catholics of Conception Bay were not put down yet. They may make an attempt to gain back what they have lost. He (Mr. S.) was speaking the language of society and reason, and hoped hon gentlemen would sell and seriously consider the matter, and not sow the seeds of religious animosity among the people.
Mr. RORKE did not see any force in the remarks of the hon member of Placentia and St. Mary's, Mr. Shea. He says that the Roman Catholics are only asking for their rights. Well, that was all that the Protestants were looking for, on thier part. There was a Grammar,school in Carbonear, and a sum of ÂŁ200 was annually paid for its support, and yet the Protestant part of this community recieved no benefit from it. Was that a state of things that should be permitted to continue? There was no other way to remedy the evil than dividing the grant.
The hon RECEIVER GENERAL thought that much irrelevant matter had been intriduced into that discussion. No one was better acquired with the state of things that existed in Carbonear relative to the Garmmar school than he was himself except the hon member, Mr. Rorke. He (hon R. Gen) saw no way in which these sectarian feelings and animosities which the hon member, Mr. Shea, had referred to, could be prevented, but by dividing the grant. The house had had petitions presented to it, praying for a division of the grant, as the school had become wholly inoperative, and the money that was granted for its support was entirely thrown away. He (hon. R. Gen) did not see that the Roman Catholic interest would be injuriously affected by their being in the minority on the Board, any more than the Protestants would be if placed in a similar position. He conceived that the people had only to blame themselves for the present state of the school. He did not think that the threats of the hon member for Placentia and St. Mary's were in wery good taste. The Protestants of Conception Bay knew how to insist upon what they considered to be their rights as well as the Roman Catholics; and they would not permit an insult to pass unnoticed. He (hon R Gen) had some acquantance with the working of that Grammar school. For years it had been an abortion. Both the Protestants and Roman Catholics had been dissatisfied with it, and were desirous of remedying the evils which they saw existed; and recently the Protestants had employed a Master of their own, at a salary of £100 a year.—He had yet to learn that this school was to be regarded in a different light from a Commercial school. He was always impressed with the view that they were upon the same basis.–During the past twenty or thirty years there had been an inmmense change in the population of Carbonear. There had been a considerable decrease in the number of Roman Catholics, and a large, increase among the Protestants. What was right in 1843, would not be regarded as right or just in 1865. The hon member for St. John's East, Mr. Kent says the Carbonear school, was established as an offset to the one at Harbour Grace, and that the arragenment must be satisfactory to both towns. What could be more absurd than to suppose a Protestant youth gang from Carbonear to Harbor Grace, and a Catholic youth from Harbor Grace to Carbonear, to attend school? As the Protestants were in the majority at Carbonear, it was only right they should have the majority on the Board of that Grammar School. The division of the grant was certainly the best way to put an end to the difficulty. In his (hon R. General's) opinion, nine tenths of the people of Carbonear, not only would agree to it, but strongly desired it. It was the hon member, Mr. Kent, and his friends, who were endeavoring to raise a sectarian feeling. But he (hon Receiver General) felt assured that if any possible mischief resulted from their doing so, the Protestants of Carbonear were well able to take care of themselves. He, however, did not, in any way, anticipate that the peace and harmony of the own would be affected by this Grammar school grant being divided.

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The Newfoundlander, 1864-1869. Digitized by Google Books

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Isabelle Carré-Hudson.

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