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 NIW ■VUNtWKIIC 
 
 jMUflOM 
 
 BMHURST «• SCHOOLS, 
 
 »»>>»»«-♦-». 
 
 Discussed in the Legislature. 
 
 Sifting tl-io KY^icLence. 
 
 The luvestigpitlon at Biithurst and tlio fiiKliiij? of Judgo 
 Fraser criticised by 3Ir. Fitts. 
 
 W^ 
 
 Oil Wednesflay afternoon, 11th April, 
 Mr. I'itts. niembor f(n' York, from his 
 pl.'ico in the l^eyi^I.-vturo iiioveil ji ro.s.ilut.idn 
 to tho eti'oct. tliiit tho evidence tiilccn ;it tho 
 investigation condiu'tcl hy Mon. Judge 
 Fraser, the ctJinmisHionor sent by tho gov- 
 ernment to IJathurst to inf(uire into 
 alleged infringements uj)on the Public 
 Schools Law, together with the report of resolution would show very conclusively 
 
 gat'^ any al!<>;ri'd infractions of t;i(> law or 
 I'll Milatinn:- en till' jKi't of the i-'iichiT-i or tnis- 
 ti'Os in t';ic'li of tlu^ >ai(l school (lisU'ii.'ti, anrl 
 g!?;!( nil'y to iminir^ into all niiiitiTs of coni- 
 ])!iiint wliicii shall hi' laid lit'fori' the saiil coin- 
 inissioncr, tonchin.:!: tlio niana'^'fiut'nf of tho 
 saiil schools, aiiil take HVidriicr iiixm all such 
 matters on oath and report tli.- cvi'lciicc so 
 taken to the lioaril of ivhicitioii, to be laid 
 before tlio Legi.slalun; at its next session." 
 
 Mr. Pitts said that the reading of tlie 
 
 that gentleman, be referred to the Conunit- 
 tee of the \v-holo House for discussion. 
 
 (Ml rising t» move tho resolution Mr. 
 Pitts said tliat the circumstances leading 
 up to this connnission were within the 
 memory of the members of the House. 
 The numerous petitions that had been i)re- 
 Kented, first to the government, and then 
 to the legisliitnre at its last session, the 
 protracted discussions and numerous reso- 
 lutions were spread over the mimites of 
 the last sessicjii, tilling no little amount of 
 space and calling the attention, of the 
 Houso to tho agitation tiien ju'evailing in 
 Gloucester county over the administration 
 of tho law in that part of the province. 
 The result of the discus.sion in tho Legis- 
 lature was a resolution aijpointing this 
 commission, which resolution ended with 
 the following: 
 
 " And ilo hereby rpcomrnnnd that one of the 
 ,Tnd':ri,s of tho Snijrcini! (^onrt, be commissioned 
 nnder Act of Assembly 4llth Vict., Chaiitcr 4, 
 Xn |)roce('(l to liatliiu'st Town and Viliaf^e to 
 uiquire into and fully Hud tiioroughly investi- 
 
 that it was not tlie ■iitention of the llouse 
 at tliat time, or apparently of the (iovern- 
 ment either, that the .Judge should submit 
 a report ujion the evidence adduced at tins 
 investigation. Subseiiuently, however, at 
 one of its private sessions, the government 
 decided to enlarge the commission of tho 
 Judge, without tlie sanction of tliis Legis- 
 lature, and authorized him to submit a re- 
 port of his views of the facts brought out 
 in tho evidence. Ho did not propose 
 
 To Abdicate His Functions as a 
 Juryman 
 
 or a member of this Legislature, and accept 
 the opini(m of any person, whether that 
 jjerion be a judge or private individual, 
 when all the evidence from wliieh to judge 
 was in tho possession of tho House. 
 He i)roposed to mako a careful analysis of 
 the evidence, and ho thought he could 
 conclusively show to the House and 
 country that the complaints made l)y tho 
 Protestan's of I3athurat were woll founded, 
 
'^1? 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 and that all the allegations made hy them, 
 as to tlio infractions upon tlie non-sectarian 
 principles of the Free ScIkxjIs I aw iiad 
 lieen fully sustained, and that no unbiased 
 person, judge fir layman ciuld rcasonal)ly 
 come to any other conclusion. He did not 
 propose in this debate to rcHect personally 
 upon the judge or his finding, but after all 
 tiiis report could only be C(jnsidered as an 
 opinion, and every member had the right 
 to read over the evidence and come to an 
 opinion of his own, and to hold it ; and he 
 certainly was at a great loss to understand 
 how the learned judge had been able to 
 come to the ojjinion he had, in view of the 
 startling evidence produced at that cnr|uiry. 
 
 ]\]r. Pitts said he did not intend dtaling 
 with the ([uestion before the House in any 
 acrimonious or aggressive m ner, or to re- 
 flect upon any of the parties concerned. 
 He was not there for that purpose, hut he 
 desired to calmly, honestly, and he trusted 
 in a judicial spirit review and weigh the 
 evidence of the various witnesses that had 
 appeared before the commissioi'er, and 
 as now before the House, and to ask the 
 opinion of the House whether the evid'jnce 
 there submitted did not bear out the com- 
 plainants in their allegations. 
 
 In pursuance of his instructions, Hon. 
 Judge Fraser had gone to Bathu.st and 
 there held the Investigation as set forth in 
 the resolution previously quoted. He 
 (Pitts) desired to s)iy with regard to this 
 investigation, that the I'rotestants of Glou- 
 cester, so far as he had been able to ascer- 
 tain, were well satisfied with the scope of 
 tlie eniiuiry. wi'h the evidence taken, and 
 with the abundant opjxirtunity given the 
 ooniplainants an<l those in op[)osition to 
 them, to l)ring tlieir witne>ises, and the 
 broad nature of the enquiry by which all 
 the facts alleged might be brought out. He 
 had heard of no criticism of the ruling of the 
 honorable judge Ijy which any evidence was 
 ruled out or any etlbrt to limit the scope 
 of the en(]V'ivy. There were criticisms, as 
 he had remarked in a previous debate, as 
 to tlie parsmonious, and cheese-paring man- 
 ner Solicitor White had dealt with the pay- 
 ment of witness fees, and other exjjenses, 
 but not reflecting upon the enciuiry. He 
 hoped that there wt)uld be an effort yet, 
 for their own credit sake, on the part of the 
 Goveriunent, to adjust some of the contest- 
 ed claims at Bathurst in regard to these ex- 
 penses. In a former address, he (Pitt-s) 
 had referred to ^he Solicitor General's 
 (White) attitude in the investigation and he 
 felt called upon to reiterate that Mr. Wliite 
 had ap^wrently been fully as anxious to 
 ))rotect the interest of the Roman Catholics 
 in that locality, au he had been tluit of the 
 
 Board of Education, which ho had been 
 sent there to represent. Pr<jbably this was 
 to be exi)ected in view of the 
 
 Regulations in the Interest of Re- 
 ligious Teaching Orders 
 
 made by the Board of Education fn ii time 
 to time, and which tlie Board and the 
 Roman Catholics were nuitually interested 
 in seeing were not interfered with 
 
 There was one cause of complaint, how- 
 ever, as to the Investigation, tliat he (Pitts) 
 felt he could justly make regarding' the 
 action of the Government. Althougli tliis 
 was a matter of ])ublic concern, had Iteen 
 brought up and hotly debated in the legis- 
 lature, and was conceded to have aroused 
 mticli bitter feeling in some parts of the 
 prf)vince. not confined to Gloiicest-er 
 County, yet the government left the whole 
 burden of proving the allegations, the entire 
 expense of the counsel and such like, upon 
 the petitioners. Tlie result was th;it the 
 Protestants of the Province were oViJiged 
 t'» put their hands in their pockets to pay 
 the carrying on of a case in the pub- 
 lic interest, and which the government 
 cotild justly have taken upon themselves. 
 If when a great injustice like this is bt'ing 
 done, it should fall upon a few people to 
 bear the enormous expense, as it would 
 have been, and lias bedii to a large extent 
 with the people of Ba.hurst and vicinity, 
 how is it possible ever to prevent gross in- 
 fringe>'.ient upon law ? It is not fair nor 
 honest. 
 
 Mr. Blair — We have not paid the coun- 
 sel for the Roman Catliolics, I do not see 
 why we should pay the other. 
 
 Mr. Pitts said he fully understoo'l they 
 had not paid the counsel for the Roman 
 Catholics, but he felt that both counsels 
 could well have been paid by the govern- 
 ment, who in this matter of such great pub- 
 lic concern could well liave paid all the e c- 
 jienses in connection with the investiga- 
 tion. It seemed unfair that in their en- 
 deavor to have the Schools Law fully and 
 impartially enforced, either Protestants or 
 Roman Catholics should be called uiion to 
 pay the expenses. 
 
 Son^o of the Complaints. 
 
 Referring to the matter of complaint .-.s 
 laid before the Commission, he sjiid he 
 would give some of these complaints and 
 review the evidence touching the same, 
 and the House Diuld themselves judge 
 as to whether they had not been conclu- 
 fiively proven, and to ask them if in ths 
 light of these facts the judges ojtinion 
 could be, or ought to be taken as c<3nclu- 
 sive. Tills evidence was the sworn testi- 
 
 'I 
 
 
 % 
 
 J 
 
(h" 
 
 . 1 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ftiony of wUr. eases wno were on the ground, 
 and who had b'un the piirtios in the trans- 
 ' otions, and regardless o{ all denials on the 
 part of the government he felt that the 
 Board of Education C(ndd not clear theiu- 
 iielves of certain responsibilities in the 
 premises. To tiiko up all the conijilaints 
 Woidd take up too much time of the House 
 in going over the evidence to search out 
 their connection, but he wi mid draw their 
 attention to those salient points at issue 
 \\'hich had been [letitionedai^tainst time and 
 time .s;;ain, and upon which the greatest 
 oljjection had been made by the Priites- 
 tants of Bathurst and vicinity and which 
 had been such a cause of irritancy through- 
 out the Province. 
 
 Tlie first compliint sot fovth ; 
 
 ? . Tliat tht' Reverend JaniP'^ Kogrrs, TJoman 
 Catholic I'.islioi) of tlio (h'ljccse of C'liatliaiii in 
 the Province of New Ijiuuswifk, witli a \u:w to 
 having the Coniuioii 8cliools in Sciiool Di.strict 
 No. 2 in ihi! Town of lliithurst m the (.'oiinty 
 of (rlimivstfi-, anil in .School J)istrict No llj in 
 tht; I'arisli of llatliurst in said County of 
 lilonc''>ter, inidcr tlio control of n-li^ioiis teacli- 
 ers of the Koniai; t'atholic church, and of the 
 said uliureh, did enter into an agicfnicnt witii, 
 and eoniH to an nndcj^tandiii^'' with '-crtain 
 nienihers of the Rfitnan C'atliolic cliuivh of s;ud 
 f^chool flistriots, tobrin^' nicmbcr-! of certain re- 
 ligions teaching Orders o{ the Koinan Catholic 
 chuicli to said Districts, and tliere to e^itablisli 
 Conventual schools, etc. 
 
 The allegations here were very phvinly 
 laid down. Bishoj) Rogers was alleged 
 U) have brought the teachers to ISathurst 
 with a view to liavc the Conventual schools 
 continued or esrablishcd. Mr. Pitts said 
 he would turn to the evidence of His Lord- 
 ship for the view he entertained of these 
 Sisters, and their position as regards other 
 teachei's in our public schools. In the 
 the first ])lace he would slujw by the evi- 
 dence that these sisters occupied a very 
 peculiar position as legards the teaching 
 profession, even frijm other Roman Catholic 
 teachers. The Bishop had begun his evi- 
 dence by making some suggestive prefatory 
 remarks which could not be misconstrued, 
 and which he would c^uote. He says : — 
 
 " I desire to explain with rr^gard to my«elf 
 and with regard to tiie Sister.-* of Charity who 
 btlony to artliifioiiK order atid have retired from 
 the irorld for the purpose of leadin;/ a reliijioits 
 life, that in an.sweriiig the snnnnons to come 
 and give evidence, I as liishoj) according to the 
 canon.s of the Catholic Ciiurch, and they as 
 religious, according to their usages, obey that 
 sumiBons with resjiect and yet with reluctance 
 in fulfilment of a grave duty to .serve the in- 
 terests of ju8tit"e . " 
 
 Have Retired from the World. 
 
 Wlmt he (Pitts) deaired to draw the at- 
 teptiou of tlio House to, was the admission 
 
 made by the Bishop, that these sisters 
 '•have retired from the world for the pur- 
 po.se of leading a religious life " Tlu^ 
 would seem to indicate that they were 
 "religious teachers" as fully as such can lie 
 made, and as set forth in the complaint. 
 In another place in the Bishop's evidence 
 we have the folliwi)-", in reference U) the 
 Sisters attending Normal School. 
 
 Question If the law required that Sisters 
 should go to Normal School would the SiMer!< 
 conii)ly with that? .Vnswer Not ;i.s Sister-. 
 
 (>." What would be the ditfercuce luitweeii 
 going liefore they wei'e Sisters and ;ifter thcv 
 were Sistt'rs ? A.- I'.ecau^e of their rctii-enieut 
 from the worlil. They would have the saiut; 
 objection that tliey have to coming liere and 
 giving evidence in court. They liave chosen a 
 I'fe of retirement in oliedience to the ru/ex und 
 the tiiiperiora aiiuointed to »dminister thu-^e 
 rules." 
 
 The House would understand that pievi- 
 ous to the iH'esent Sisters coming to 
 ]5atluirst there had been certain otlicr 
 members of Religious orders, that was to 
 say the Sisters of the Congregation of 
 ISotre ])ame. who had been teaching the 
 Conv(;iit Schools, sui)portcd and maintained 
 wh.olly by the Roman Catholic chui'ch and 
 people. Jn ISKO they notilied the R. C. 
 aurliiii'ities that they intended to withdr.iw 
 and it became necess.-iry for other arrange 
 nients to be made. The main re.ison why 
 these Sisters hail left seems to be on ac- 
 cr)unt of the Roman Catholic authorities 
 finding it too heavy a burden maintaining 
 the private schools, believing they could 
 have tlie same privileges anil come luider 
 the Public Schools law, bii't the Sisters of 
 the congregation of Notre Dame objcv-ted 
 to the examinations, and to teaching the 
 boys, — so it is said in the evidence. 
 Ordinary Roman Catholic teachers trained 
 at the Normal School, of which there were 
 plenty availably, were not suiHciently 
 
 Grounded in the Doctrines of the 
 Church, 
 
 so the effort was made to get the jirescnt 
 Sisters from Halifax, Was Bishop lingers, 
 and the Roman Catholic clergy intJlouces- 
 ter mf>ro than incidentally interested in 
 procuring the.se Sisters/ On page 122 of 
 the evidence wo have this admission by 
 Bishop Rogers : 
 
 " I telegrai)hed not only to the Mother Sn- 
 jx'riore.ss at Halifax, but tlie Archbishoii be- 
 cause I knew siie would have to confer with him 
 and T wanted him to know what 1 v\as asking 
 of her." Again in a letter fartliT on in his ex- 
 amination His Lordsliij) .says ; " Loth Father 
 Harry and Father Varrily went, and arrived 
 tlie evening of tiie lOtli iiist., sjtw tln' Motlw^r 
 Superioress, spent a day in Halifa,\ and con- 
 ferred with her and the other Bisters as to do- 
 
-nz 
 
 ^'Jii:^:r.::z.r:.'v-. 
 
 tfiiiK givinp: tliciin wiiafrn-rr luforniation tlioy 
 uimlfd, saw t!io ari'libisliop, ptc, and tho day 
 \\!t.'> fiAcd wl;, !i tlin Si-!t«-i'j Would ciiiiif. I'.iit 
 in tlif iiic'uitiiiip liern'"!' wim .o ho (ibtaiu(;d in 
 t!ii- ])i()vijici' U<r the Sl-itf-r.-* to tfivoli, but tiiat 
 tMiild not l)ij dontj until thn names of ttu' indi- 
 vidnin rti.-jtL-rs who wero coming wuro obtaini'd." 
 
 The more tliiiii nrdinury intorosf, hIiowii 
 liy t!ic P.ishop in (d)tain;ng these iiicinhers 
 of Ueligi(Ui8 orders, from outside the pro- 
 vime to tench in tlio Convent sciiools of 
 l>;itliur.st and IJatliurst Villaire, is brought 
 <iut l)y tlie details of tiicir coming .is given 
 in his (the Bishop's) own evidence. 
 
 " When I ffot a tel(>,!jrr;im that ATothm- I'fmri- 
 ventiH'e and licisolf wen- coininji in riic train I 
 wot out to Chatliani Jvniction U> meet tlicni 
 and I'seoi-t tlicui iit.-r, . Ni'itiicr of tlip^e two 
 kSi.stHr.s wo'ild be anioni,' the tfacHn.-rs wiio wcro 
 Coining liercaftiT. but tliey were the .SupiTion'.--D 
 and liiT assistant coniiti':; to m^-c. ftftor dctailn. 
 I accon]])anic(l tiicni on here anfl that wivs tho 
 ti'ni' that l''Ath('r I'arry saw the j.Tincipal nioni- 
 Ikts of his contjri'^'atioii— Mr. liin'n:^, Mr. Ryan 
 and \ai-ious oth'^i- nienibcrs whom he saw — scmio 
 o' them individually, and iiad an infornial 
 mcclii'^' in his house He asked, ornild they 
 liii'i-t the TruslL»i'S, botll of tiiis .side and tho 
 other sideV They »aid yes, and that is the time 
 >lr. O'l'.ri'ii and the other trustees met at 
 Father Harry's house. Now at the informal 
 business meerniLf Ix'tu'enn tiie ^Tother ISupei'ior- 
 <'AS. and the Triist.M's, lather !!any wa.s pre^^etit 
 and al.so Mr. Biuns and Air. ilyan. 
 
 Trustees at the 3e<}i< ami Call of 
 the RouM-.zi L'ii*liolics. 
 
 It would ho well, said Mr. Pi t.s, for tho 
 House to note tli:it .after the Roman Catho- 
 lic clei'gy iiiid tho jirineipal 11. C. rate- 
 payer,s had met they sent for the Trustees, 
 who res])ondeJ. to the invitaiion with 
 alacrity, and tiien !it the prie.sfc's residence, 
 discussed and entered nito tho details of 
 how the Sisters should come, and where 
 and how they should teach. On pae;e lo5 
 of t!ie evide-.icc tiie iJishoj) further sjiys : 
 
 "T nie.an tiiat they came here with the .-vppro- 
 
 Viatien of their spii itual yiii.eriors, niyseif, the 
 l)riestsaud tlie ])eopie who were to pay' them." 
 
 •-question— That is to say the 'J'ru.stee.s could 
 iMit liring tiieui iiere of their own motion, except 
 tluMuj.di you ': 
 
 Ansiier — Not without my approbation — not 
 .so jrin^,' as they weri' twisters. 
 
 •jiMe-^tion — \\'oul<l you have any more control 
 of the Sisters in the Convent, as'te.aehers, th-.a 
 you Would have of .I'rote.sfant ladies tea-.iiing 
 ni the (iramniar Seuov' liuiLHu'^'' 
 
 .Answer- Ci-riainly I wotdd hiivo 
 
 Sisters Couldn't Make Contracts. 
 
 He (Pitts) thought after rciding this 
 sworn testimony there could Ije Iit;tlo 
 do.iot in the minds of iiny unbia.sod jnjr- 
 son tl'.ai Bishoj) I'vogers and the other 
 iiiemhers of the R. C. clergy referred to, 
 had been instrumental in arranging and 
 iri!ie;ing the Sisters to Bathurst, that they 
 
 M'cro mcnihers of roligiou.? teaching oi'dor?, 
 and under the complete control of tiu) 
 ecclesiastical authorities, even rto much sit 
 that they couldn't make a contract for 
 teaching, \vhii.:h would bo found in tho 
 following ; 
 
 *' A<^ far ms tlie cor.tract w,nit there was n 
 conti'act made iietween the Trustees and them, 
 not tlieni individually t)ut witii their Superior- 
 e.ss.'' And again on pn.<re irs. " 'J'liey are not; 
 at libertv to make wiiat contriiet tliey please 
 anywhere. 
 
 t^uestion^ Trt-ing Sist-r.s thiry ranild not buy .1 
 hoi'T-e or a shij) Isuppose .Answer— They make 
 vow.i of jN)vei'ty, of obedience and of eha-ity 
 xvliieh prevptit.s theip from getting niarried u,i 
 long as th.'!>t vow holds force. 
 
 t^uestion -Could one of thestT Sistci-s m.aSro an 
 agreement with the Ti'ustees to te.'U.'h and .still 
 remain a tcu'hcr witlumt tb(; ;vp.)>rov;vl of he-r 
 «rc.;lesia.,stieal .■-up'rior',' fMisw<T-- *\ eil, she ha-f 
 two s\ii«'riors, <ine here and one.'i.t hcachpiarters, 
 
 t^uestion — Weil; eoidd .she without the <'oi!- 
 ?ent of some jna'son else out-ide of hm'selt? 
 Answ(T — I'ut that question intt;lligeutly and I 
 will answer ir,. 
 
 (iuestion — Cottld one of tlie Si.sters to whom 
 we ar(^ I'efcrring, n>ake a coutr:w;t with the trus- 
 tees of school.'? uudi!r the law to teach a seiaiol, 
 find still be- in (;very rcsi»eet ttMo to her\(iw< anil 
 still n.Muain oni; of her opler without eo]i^ulting 
 .sonie one snivricr to herself? nswer —She 
 may not consult but s^he has to Ktve the i)er- 
 mi.ssion. These Sister.'* had that pa'uiisrtioii 
 from their Superioress, 
 
 Protestant Children "Might At- 
 tend." 
 
 As to the reference in thecon7plaint tha«; 
 these Sisters were broujjht to cstablisli 
 Conventual Schools, he (Pitt.s) would ((Uote 
 from s(jme of the evidence and, without 
 making very many connnents, he would 
 leave it to the House anil cotmtry to judg:.y 
 whether the ullegation.s were not well- 
 founded. On page 18i>, tho Bishop says : 
 
 " Becau.?o we wanted to contim-.e the Con- 
 vent schools in tlu! Convent building but witli 
 other tea<,'lier>! who would comply v/ith the law. 
 
 (,>uestion - You call it calunmy Lo sn.y that 
 you brought the Sisters here with thi' intention 
 that I'rotestant children would attend? A.. — 
 "Should' 1 .say is calumny, "might attend'' 
 Would be all right. 
 
 It would thus he seen tiiat the know- 
 ledge that the grading of those schools, so 
 thaD Protestant children might be obliged 
 to go to the Convent, was not entirely 
 foreign to tho viow.s of the Bishop. In 
 answer to another cpicstion, referring to 
 the estal)lisliment of Conventual school.*, 
 tho Bishop said : 
 
 Well it .'*ays '' to there establish Conventual 
 school*," that is wrong because they kail been 
 existmg 18 years before that. 
 
 He (Pitts) presumed that if it could her 
 ostJiblished that these Convent schools 
 were largely under ecclesiastical control, ib 
 
would Tje estiibllshcd that they wore Con- 
 ventual sehooLs ill the suiise used in tlio 
 oonqil.iint. He would u'^mu rufur to tlio 
 tividcnce: 
 
 SVeio these Sistei!?, as y<M under-^taiul it, 
 coiiiiti^' li(-!-c tu tfjicli under the law, at libcity to 
 be changed by th<' tnisteys and a I'rotcsiant 
 teaclun- put \\i then- stt-ad ? A. Not in t!iat 
 buiklia,^; no, I wouldn't consent Ujtiiat. 
 
 It was quite evident the Bishoj) proposed 
 to have some say if there was any change. 
 And again 
 
 E(-forf^ that wiuld lie done you wi dd liave to 
 lie sen with refcri'iice to the uiattei' .' A. Yo.i 
 eoniniuuicated with. 
 
 Then as to the control of the convent 
 l)uilding hy the Trustees, and how far that 
 control extended. 
 
 Q. ]f the lease was once made vo« would bo 
 ETovcrnel by the tenus of tin; lea'-e? A. 'J"he 
 Icii^e W(ndd not In- valid unices I j^ave it my con- 
 sent, anil f woidd not consent to a lea^e ffjr a 
 lonf,'er time than scluiol hours. 
 
 CTnderstood that Prayers aud 
 Catechism were to be Taught. 
 
 A strong matter of complaint has been 
 the understanding that the prayers were to 
 l)e said and catechism taught, and which 
 was repudiated liy the Itoman Catholics. It 
 would bo well to know the Bishop's views. 
 
 CJ. When yo»i liro\ight the Sisters here, the 
 c<)'nproni!-ieyou made, if yon made any was this: 
 that the Sisters ci)uld take a certain hour or a 
 cert.'un portion of an hour, iifter they were 
 through with the secular in.-truetion, and after 
 the I'rot.-fitant ehildrtii had withdrawn, to carry 
 on religious educiition of your own peculiar de- 
 nominationV .>. That compi'omise was not 
 made by nje. I understoo<l tliat tlu-t was the 
 L'eneral custom, tolerated or encouraged liy tiu! 
 i'oard of K(iui:ation, and practised in all tlie 
 dilferent religious schools — convent .schools, etc , 
 throughout the |irovinee. 
 
 (},. But didn't you know it wa.s going to be 
 done? A. Certainly, and it was not then I 
 beg'an to make the iH)m))romi.so ; it was long ago. 
 
 Q It. wa.s on tiiat condition, either exjiressed 
 or well underfitood that the teachers won; going; 
 to teach';' A. Yes, well understood. 
 
 Q. But religious iustiuction in sejiarata 
 schools i.s what you want to get is it not'? A. 
 We would aim at tliat if we could get it. 
 
 (2- Were you not driving at tli.-it, as f,\r a« 
 you cxiuld when you brought the Sistirs here? 
 .d. Yes, but what I did here, I could not do in 
 every locality wdiere there wei'e only a few chil- 
 dren. Keferring to control of teachers he .-aid : 
 I stiid th.it as belonging to a religious congn^ga- 
 tion they Would lie )iiore under tiie control (jf 
 the ordinary of the l)i<icese (that w.iuld be the 
 Bisjio)).) ti> Theoretically you control them 
 here'/ (Bathur.st.) A. Yes. 
 
 Control Sisters Through tho 
 Priests. 
 
 _ Q. Don't you practically"? A. We do jirac- 
 ticdly, th'.ough the priests, not personally my- 
 
 Q. If for example the Rist«r« ceased to teach 
 the catechism or the religion .if the che.ich in 
 tiu^ school ([do not mean within hours) tht«e 
 would l)eau ecclesiastical interference with theiu 
 <in that account w.iuld there not'? A. J'roba- 
 biy. 'I'hat uouM depend im the vii'W of the 
 j)rie.;ts (rt' the locality If he was a careful m:i« 
 lie woidd look after all the details of Ins work 
 and se ■ th,it Hit: MV/cr.s '//./ niiitl tin ii nmiht to </■). 
 As to his views of the Sisters coming he (the 
 Bisho|i) said, "My view was to kecj) ciur i 'atlio- 
 lic children away from the Protectant schools 
 aud I'rotcstant teachingso far a.s 1 had any view 
 at all. 
 
 Another strong reason why these schools 
 at llui convent, m.-iy be well .'uid |)r(ipcriy 
 designated as conventual aud sectiri.iii 
 schools is in the answer made by tlio liislu^j) 
 at the close i>f his rc-c.\aniinat ion hy .Mr. 
 \\hiU^ on page l?(»l) of the ivideuce 
 
 Religion the Chief Question. 
 
 <}. In reference to the (piest\oii I a-ke| you 
 a moment ago, as I imdersiand it, where you 
 have a cIku'cc of teachers who were Siste's iiurl 
 teachers who were not, but still of the IJ.'.uau 
 Catliolic faith, competency won d be tiie chief 
 question'? A. I riid not s;iy that coinpeliuev 
 would be tho chief (picstioiii. lie'igion is the 
 chief (piestion. 
 
 It seemed to hii » (Pitts) that \]u'■M^ ex- 
 tracts from the minutes hu had read .vn;ild 
 be sullii'iunt evidence for any unbi.ccd per- 
 son, in fact were beyond rcfiit,ition th.it the 
 schools were sectarian. VV'hy in one jiiace 
 Bishoj)Rogerssaid in answer to the ipiesti< 111. 
 You understood it was to lie a sejjarate 
 school ( A. "Yes, to continue as it was 
 l)efore, except that it was to he run under 
 the law, to give us tlie henelit of the law." 
 The evidence throughout went t>; show th.it 
 the schools were practically the same as 
 uiuler the Sisters of the Congregation of 
 Notre Dame, exeeiiting tli.at the rrotcstaiiC 
 ratepayers now supplied tin; funds largely 
 to carry on the emivent sch' ols, by tlie 
 taxation {)ut upm them. He woidd not 
 take up tlie time further in (pioting 
 from the evidence cuithis c<jnii)laint. He was 
 not taking isolated passages, or garbling 
 the evidence, but page after pag<! could be 
 (pioted bearing ujiou this eoiiipliiint, and 
 jiroving the contention therein (;nun.;i.itcd 
 to have lieeii well founded, and fully sub- 
 stantiated. 
 
 Special Arrangement for Roman 
 
 Catholics by the Board of 
 
 Education. 
 
 He woidd now direct the attentiiui of the 
 House to the L'nd complaint in the indict- 
 ment as laid hy tlieProtestantijof Jiathtnst. 
 
 2. Tiiat siieeial arranginuents were made by 
 the Board of Kducation of the I'rovinee of New 
 Brunswick for theexamination of the said mem- 
 bers of the said religioiw teaching Orders on 
 
V 
 
 their coniinpf as aforsftaid to said school cliskricts, 
 and (111 their so coiiiiup to said school districts 
 tluy wtiv fXiimiued iu the Roman Catholic Con- 
 ▼Hiit ill till! Comity of (ilouccstcr, for the pur- 
 riosc of hfiiiK diily'lici'iiscdas teachca-.s under tho 
 Conuiion i-'c;liools ' et of this I'roviiicc, anil upon 
 iiiiii exauiiiiation hold as aforesaid thoy wcro 
 contrary to law licenswl to teaoh in said district 
 under said Act, 
 
 Tho evidence bearing upon this point-, 
 was ill his o])iiiion full and cmiiplete. How 
 any one, jiidi^c or layman, could come to any 
 other conclusion was beyond coniprehen- 
 (lion. T;i,ke ior instance regarding the ex- 
 aminations. 
 
 (I. At all events tho examination conducted 
 in r.atiiurst was the examination fornioily con- 
 ducted ill Chatham? A. I do not know. I 
 know at the timt> the Sisters were conunp hero 
 tile Mother Suixu-iorrss objected to their going 
 iiiiywiiere except to their own convent fur ex- 
 amination. 
 
 (^ If tho Uw required that Sisters should go 
 to the Normal School, would the Sisters comply 
 witii that? A. Not as Sisters— and the reason 
 assigned for this is as (juoted in a former refer- 
 ence, "because of their retirement from the 
 world." 
 
 The Secret Regulations. - 
 
 The must convincing proof, however, of 
 the allegation being correct was found in 
 the speci;\l orders made by the Board^of 
 Education. Under date of Aug. 6th, 1875, 
 n minute of the Board reads : 
 
 Tiie certificate of the superior of any of tho 
 Pwoiiian Catholic Teaching orders is recognized 
 as rendering the ho' der eligible for such examina- 
 tion and it would not be necessary for such 
 persons to attend the New Brunswick Training 
 Sciiool. Where such certificates are not held, 
 attendance upon the Trauiing School is required. 
 
 This looks very much as though it was a 
 .special ju-ivilege not accorded to the Pro- 
 testant public. Tlien we have the next 
 "secret" regulation, not published in the 
 •school manual, yet acted upon, and made 
 by I\Ir. Blair's government. Under date 
 of Juno 10th, 1884 :— 
 
 Eeligious orders holding certificates of qi.ali- 
 fi.-ation from a recognized Noini.al or Training 
 School shall be eligible for examination for 
 liceii>e. ;-iu-li candidates may have a .-eparatu 
 e.;;iniiiiation in June of eacli year in St. .iohn 
 and at Chatham, .at tlie same time as tlie otiier 
 prt)viiiual examinatioiis are being held, ami tiie 
 same set of jiajiers shall be submitted to them as 
 to otliar candidates. 
 
 What was meant by a recognized Normal 
 or Training School ? The Sisters came from 
 IMount St. Vincent convent at Halifax. 
 Was that a recognized Normal or Training 
 Scliool^ Surely even if other special 
 privileges were not allowed, no inter- 
 jiretation of this kind could be placed upon 
 tliis convent. The fact is patent that there 
 is only one recognized Normal and Training 
 
 School in tho Province of Nova Scotia and. 
 tliat is at Truro. Mr. Blair and his col- 
 leagues, lijive, however, apparently recog- 
 nized the Halifax convent as a Normal or 
 Training School. Then we have following 
 this a most invidious special privilege, and 
 sjiecial arrangement for the cxaminati >n of 
 these Sisters at their convents in the fol- 
 h)wiiig order of the Board, dated June "Jlth, 
 1887, "and which was purposely intended to 
 cut out all other denominations : — 
 
 A Special Privilege. 
 
 That Fi-ederietoiibe tlioouly >tatioii hereafter 
 for the examination of eaiidi^latis for s-'hool 
 licenses. (This order not to interfere witli tho 
 order of th(^ Board of June pith, 1S><4, relative 
 to tiie examination of religicjus orders.) 
 
 Hero, he (Pitts) pointed out to tlie House 
 \vasa special privilege, invidiously so, which 
 in connection with all these secret regula- 
 tions, should bo wiped out. The last order 
 we have any knowledge of bearing upon 
 these s]iecial privileges was passed on May 
 8tli, 181>1, and was '•Bathiirst be an ex- 
 amining .station in lieu of Chatham for the 
 examinatiimof candidates for school license 
 belonging to Keligious teaching orders " 
 Tho "secret" regulations have never been 
 published in any school manual, and it 
 WX'uld appear that the Board of Education 
 was ashamed of thoni, or else ;ifrai(l of 
 them, and well they might bo. The country 
 has to thank llov. A. F. Thomson of 
 r>atliurst for bringing them to liglit, and if 
 this agitjition has\l(jno nothing else, it has 
 shown up tho extremity the l^oard of Edu- 
 cati'^n has gone to, to help out tho Roman 
 Catholics in tho way of secret regulations. 
 What do we have Chief Siipcrinti'iident 
 Crocket saying about this matter of 
 Bathurst as an examining station. In a 
 letter written to Mr. Thomson on June 
 oOth, 18'.»1, he says, after referring to th.o 
 change from Chatham to Bathurst : — 
 
 No s'niilar .arrangements have been niado on 
 behalf of any other than those belonging to Re- 
 ligious Teaching orders No othe than Si-ter.'i 
 of whom tliere were seven, w^ero examined at 
 
 Bathurst. 
 
 Dr. Inch's Opinion. 
 
 Then there is in Dr. Inch's evidence 
 reference to one of the examinations at 
 Batliur.st showing that although there were 
 ap[)lications for others than Sisters, thoy 
 would not bo examined there. 
 
 Q In 18!)3 did you interfere with or refuse 
 the examination of any person in r.atiiurst for a 
 lici;nse? A la.ssume you refer to twoapi)liea- 
 tioiis that were sent to be examined in Ijatiiurst. 
 Tiiere were two teaciiers who applied or wrote 
 and asked whetiier thi^y might be ex.amined in 
 Bathurst, and 1 replied that they might iu casa 
 
an examination was held of tho Bistera at 
 Hiithiirst. That if ttun-i' nhould !»■ an oxaiuitia- 
 tiim liold in the Town or Villah'c they wmild bo 
 admitted tii exaiuiiiatidu liere. But thuro wero 
 no applii-ations — of eom-sc tha*; was said with 
 the i'Xi)ertati<iu that prolwilily there would Vm an 
 ajijilicatiun for tiie nxamiiiatlon of the Sisters art 
 had l)e(Mi iireviously done in the Town of 
 liathnrst, hut tliere wn-n no applieatifpn, and I 
 su1>sr((uently wroti' to tlii'>*e two teaehfrs to say 
 tliat as they were thi> only ])ersoiis applyin'^ it 
 Would he very niiuih linttt'r for tiieni, andrheaiiur 
 for all eoiici'rni>d to eonie to l'"reili'rieton. 
 
 Q. 'I'hen ))ractiea'ly you n-fuded it, though in 
 a diplomatic way of coursH? A. Xo I I eon- 
 sentid in the fir.st jilacp, and suljseqncntly ad- 
 visfd tluMn that it was very inconvenient ad 
 there wcie only two of them, to send an ex- 
 aminer here and besides / iiKiy «",'/ / we* (tiliiKj 
 perln(j>.i uitt.fidc iif the iiniuil niur.w, in eonsentin^ 
 to their eomin,!,' here, b\it I tlioi!i,dit if an I'X- 
 aminatioii was held here at all, tliey ought to bo 
 adniitti'd to it 
 
 On May tho 19th, 18U2, there is put in 
 ovideiioe tho letter of Dr. Inch, refusing 
 the application of Miss Arsoneault to ex- 
 amination at Bathuist. It would tluis 1)0 
 seen I hat this sjiecial privilege was not ex- 
 tended to lloHian Catholics generally, and 
 was for tiie Sisters sjiecially. Jle tlioiight 
 it would he entirely unnecessary to fiu'ther 
 quo e from the evidence to substantiate tho 
 truth of the 2nd complaint, which lie })e- 
 lievcd every honest person nuist agree had 
 been fully proved. He would draw tho 
 attention of the House, however, to tho 
 fact that Dr Inch acknowledges ho was 
 "acting outside the usual course" in even 
 allowing these Roman Catholic girls to 
 stau'l examination at these special examin- 
 ing stations. The fact was that it was only 
 in view of this agitation that ho did con- 
 sent thougli tliere were sisters to lie ex- 
 amined. Although he acknowleilges it to 
 bo manifestedly unfair that the sistera 
 should iiavo these special privileges. 
 
 Roman Catholic Priests Inter- 
 fere with the Public Schools. 
 
 Ri^ferring to the ord complaint of the 
 petitioners he woidd take up one of tho 
 allegations : 
 
 3 Tliat the Roman Catholic priest.*, exercis- 
 ing tlii'ir reli,i,'ious olH>'es in the siid si'lmol ilis- 
 tricts, luiv(( intcrf'-rcd with tlie scrhools of sai<l 
 districts, in the foUowiuj,' manner: — 
 
 (h) That during? the school term endinff De- 
 cember 3i»th, l.S!t2, another of said priests order- 
 ed th(! motiier of one of the iiupilsattendiii^' one 
 of th(! public schools of one of said districts to 
 t^ike her daughter, the said impil, from tlii_( said 
 public school which she wasattondinir, and send 
 her to one of the said Conventual schools 
 
 In proof of this allegation he (Pitts) 
 would ask the HouseVs attention to tho 
 evidence of Mr. James Mcintosh, tho 
 teacher in the village at the time tho trouble 
 
 com()lainod of took placo. The following 
 is the evidence bearing upon it : — 
 
 U D ) you know anytlun^' ab-int a youn:; 
 pirl by tl>""uameof Ar8Mna\dt, who came for a 
 short tim.' to yom' si'.hoil? .^. Vus 
 
 (.1 Rdlate to tho Court what ymi know about; 
 that matter'.' \. .A. few days iii'foro the sciiovil 
 opened la.st .^iniuier — that would bn in Auu'ust, 
 l*(2--.\lrs W'm. .Vrseneault stupp^l tn i on tlin 
 stre*'t one ovcaiiit,' and asked nic if her little ijfirl 
 could ooiud t.i my .school. She said slm vv.intc 1 
 her to go to the NormUil ScIuhi!, and her eldesc 
 sister ha 1 attended my school iK'fore ^,'oiu.,' to 
 Ncjrmal School, and she wished this oua to conw 
 to me. Sli.i said the 'jrhl ha, I bcm goini,' to the 
 Con\ent and .die claiined that aftor reachin,' a 
 certain tirade the i-iisturs pat ih." cihiUIrcii ov.t 
 the same work with tho new cl.iss that come intii 
 tliat j,'rad<'. 
 
 >l. Instead of advanein;.,' thi-in they went 
 over the same work a>,'ain ? A. Yes. Tliat is 
 when they reached the hiy-liest g-rade they put 
 them over the samt! work. Kor instance (.'ra !(• 
 (') of this year will be j^rade 7 of next ye.ar. Wt^W 
 gra le •> would lie put intii j^'rad.i 7, but ;,'rade 7 
 would be kept at the .same work instead of beinj^ 
 advanc-d into <;rade 8. That was her reason fdr 
 wishing the girl to oonie to my school, and I 
 told her it w.as all right so far a.s l was con(!eriied, 
 but I had nothing to do with it ; she would have 
 to g(;t a jiermit from the Secretary of the 
 Trustees. riiD school op^'iied on a t riday .and 
 the girl tiaine with a permit fiom Dr. I)uiie.,n, 
 Secretary ot Trustees. I took down the nauKis 
 of all the children that were present that day on 
 a sheet of paper. I do not gener.illy enter t lie 
 names right at once in th ; register. The tirsC 
 day one geui-rally don't have time to enter thu 
 naiiies carefully -in fact 1 always first take them 
 d(i\v'n on a sheec of paiier, and afterwards i-nter 
 them in the register, and take the register li'_im« 
 with me at nigiit, and enter them thi're. Tho 
 gill did not come back to school Monilay, and a» 
 J was going to tlie i'ost Olli.'c either that even- 
 iii',' or T'liesday evening next the girl's mother 
 called mo. She was standing, or sitting on her 
 doorstep and she said to me, " Well, 1 suppose 
 you notii;ed mv little ''irl was not at school to- 
 day." I said '" Yes, I no iced it ' Shit hesi- 
 tated a little and then she smiled. " Well, I 
 may as well tell you how it was," she said, 
 " h'athcr Varrily won't let her go.'' 1 saiil, '• I 
 su 
 
 am 
 
 she 
 
 .she 
 .sll, 
 
 i.iseii that was the reason," and she laiighe. I 
 seemed su prised that I thoue-ht that 'I'Injn 
 said she did not know what she would do, 
 wanted the girl to go to N'lormal Sidiool, and 
 said it was no use toseiid her to the coilveuS 
 wlutre they would \>ut her over the same wori 
 ag:iin Siie said the girl was too big for her to 
 .siippiirt ; she was a poor woman ; she guessinl 
 siie would put her dre-sui. iking. She lookeil as 
 if s\\i\ exjiHcted me to olb^r her some advice, bat 
 I did not do so. 
 
 (^>. About how old would this girl be* .A. I 
 am not sure Init it seems to me the age she gavo 
 me when .she came to school wa.s Hi- it may 
 liave bcf'ii 1."). There was a slight mistak.^ ii 
 what Fatlier Varrily said on thi.s matter about 
 my registering the giil s name. 
 
 Ho (Pitts) thought it was nfit necessary 
 to read to the llou.se any fiu'ther evidence 
 to prove that allegation tii bo sustained. It 
 did not rei^uire a very judicial mind to 
 
x'-^l^tff 
 
 grasp tlio point there onvolved. It is true 
 Father Varrily in his eviiltinco tried to 
 hrcftit the force nf Mr. McInto.sh'H tosti- 
 raony hut th(> oxpluuiitiDns iniido l)y Fdtlier 
 Vfirrily were decidedly weak and frivnloiiH, 
 ajid even dccordinj,' to his own sliowing lie 
 (Varrily) liad been guihy of a most unwav- 
 riin:a!)ie interference witli the pupils in the 
 public schools He would not take the 
 tinio of tlu) House l)y referring to the com- 
 j>laints seratini, as it would take several 
 days to dual fairly with all the coniplaiuts, 
 and in view of the fact that the case was 
 then l)efoie Uie Su]irenie Court in another 
 jiart of the liuildiug, he would siuijily refer 
 to those of which the greatest amount of 
 disNutisfaction had been expressed. 
 
 Compelling Protestanc Children 
 to Attend the Convent Schools. 
 
 Complaint nund)er 7 was one very 
 strongly contested. It was as follows : — 
 
 1. That tlio frradiiifT of the schools in the said 
 school district has n(;thcen coiuhu'tcd accMirdiiig 
 to law. 'I'liat the trustees of the said sciioiil ilis- 
 triits, aided and iutiueiiccd by the clergy of tlio 
 Kdiiian Catliolic churcii in said districts, have 
 made nn effort to coin))el l-'rotestauts in said 
 .school districts to send their children to the said 
 Conventual schools and that the relip;ious teach- 
 ers of the iionian Catholic church in said school 
 districts Were by the said trustees jilaced in 
 .actual eharj^o of ccrt.iin departinents of tlio 
 pnblic conmion sciioois in said school districts in 
 th(> year bSOl, all of which was brought iibout 
 in consequence of Iho enii)loynient of the mem- 
 bers of tlio said religious teaching orders of the 
 Roman Catholic church by the trustees afore- 
 said, as hereinbefore set forth. 
 
 He felt that the sworn testimony, of 
 those who had appeared before the com- 
 unssion would have greater weight with the 
 members, than any expression on his part, 
 so he would show from the evidence of 
 their own otticial how pernicious was the 
 system of grading, cau.sed hy the determin- 
 ation on the part of the R(jman Catholics 
 to have their conventual schools, and teach 
 their religion in these so-called public 
 schotjls. 
 
 Mr. Merserean, the school inspector for 
 that district, in his evidence said : 
 
 Q. Taking into consideration the nuuiber of 
 pupils at the schools in the town of Ijathurst is 
 there too great a ratio of teat'hers ? ,\ . I con- 
 sider thei'e are more teac'hers than wouhl be 
 necessary if they iiad just one system instead uf 
 two. 
 
 ^ VA lien you s];:iak of one system instead of 
 two to what do you refer? A. To the system 
 of grades. There are parallel grades taught in 
 the two schfKils 
 
 (i- I ))resume the real reason for that is tiiat 
 one is a Convent school and the other is not. 
 The ditliculty we are now inquiring into is the 
 
 As the grading took place in Ja: 
 the Protestant children belonging t 
 
 Cftuso of what you speak? A. Yo3 ! I think it 
 is to a large extent. 
 
 Q. _ Was not the grailing done in that year in 
 the Village so tUat if the scholars fnlloweil con- 
 tinuously tlu'ouiifh the grades, they were com- 
 pelled to go into the Convent school V A. it 
 was. 
 
 t^. Was not this bad grading here eansecl hy 
 the Sisters comitig Iiitc and estalilishiug tlio 
 Convent school in the manner iu wiiicli it was? 
 A. Well, two parallel systems, from any cause. 
 
 TLo Protestants Object to Send- 
 ing Their Children to the 
 '' on vent. 
 
 Then we have how the Protestants ob- 
 jected to sending their children to the con- 
 vent schools brought out from the sam« 
 witness on re-examination. 
 
 Q. Has it not come to your knowledge thati 
 the I'j-otestants ol)jei't to sending ciiihlrcn to 
 the Convent schools, botii iu tli- village and in 
 the town ? A. Yes, Protestant parents have 
 told mo so, 
 
 Then there was the evidence of Dr. 
 Duncan the Secretary of the Board of 
 Trustees for the Village, as regards the 
 garding : — 
 
 fanuary, 1S01, 
 ;iug to tiie Inter- 
 mediate dei)artmeiit or grades 3 and 4 would 
 necessarily attend the Convent building, and 
 those belonging to grades 1 and 2, and .5 and H 
 Would attend the .Superior school building. 
 That is liow they would be gradf-d ' 
 
 il Did the Protestants tiud fault with tliat? 
 A. They did ; they protested against it. 
 
 Mr. White— That was only for one week. 
 
 Mr. Pitts — I don't care if it was for only 
 one day. The evidence here does not show 
 how long it was, but whatever time it was 
 it should never have ben made possible. 
 
 Enough to Make Their Blood Boil- 
 He would tell the House that it wixt snlHci- 
 ent to make the blood boil in the veins of 
 every true Protestant whiui he heartl or 
 read fif tlie indignities being heaped u'lou 
 the Protestant min(uity of Piathiust, to 
 whom tliero seemed no source for redress 
 and wild iiad been obliged year after year 
 to j)ut u\> with these patent iinpositious 
 upiu) liicmselves and upiui tlie Protestants 
 generally of the jiroviuce. Another result 
 of this grading w,'»s tli.tl ihoconvcnt schools 
 were hiled to ovciiioiriug while tiis puiilic 
 schools were starved out, and it is patent 
 to any one giviticj tbo matter llie least at- 
 teutioii that if the I'roiestaiits had laiucly 
 snlumtted they would have been conipellcil 
 to day to (tend their children lo the Convent, 
 and because they luve" refused iliey 
 havo been denonnced, and called bii^wts, 
 and such like, by certain meiuiiers of the 
 Mr. Pitts hero read the 
 
 . 
 
\m:^i..:.rrrr 
 
 — -^UiJ* 
 
 9 
 
 fitroiii:; lottfif of protest sout to tlio trustooa, 
 liy tlu! I'rotestaiit r.iti3-ii;iyors in Jan. l.SDl. 
 IJtj iliun roforruil to Mv. MclnUtsW^ evi- 
 dcuco rc'i^'iU'iliiig tlu; i^rjuliiii^, ami tlio ro- 
 Hiilts so fiir lis llio I'rotustants wei'o ctiu- 
 ccriiod : — 
 
 (■l. If gfiidrs 3 aii'l (.1-1 yoii think with tho 
 ca-^i', \vi'i>' I. (it t;iu:,'Iiu ill til" Sii|)friiii' sclmil 
 Vmt wiji't; taii^'liC in tlii' (Jonvrnt, all impils in 
 tlieiii tfiM.lrs Wdiil.l rr'iuiri! to an lo tlio U juvunt 
 schiiol, woiililn'l till'} .' A. Vi!S. 
 
 Wouldn't Send His Children to 
 
 tho Convsn , 
 
 I 
 
 Tn t!io uviilonco of Mr. Samuel (Janininn, 
 a rfsi'U'ut of IVitlmrst Tnu-ii. tlniy liail tlio 
 followiiiL; iici'tinuiit convui'satioii : 
 
 f-i Dill yim liiis'n any convcr-iation witii 
 Si'cv O'lSrii'ii at anv tinin (InriuLC IS'.IL abont 
 Bfiniini,'' boys to thu (J mvi.'tit, if so wha* ? (.1 
 i';viiiii)t say as to tlii' ilat>' It was abnut 2 vcars 
 a^ii. Ill' ami I in. 't on tlm ma.l oiii'tj\i.'nin^' and 
 lit: >aiil : "Sam, we liaVf inad.' a <'lian;.ri! in tlin 
 grading' of tin- schools." i a-^ki'il him what Y 
 He saiil : " Wi: have talceii a j^ra le out of the 
 
 inililii' •school, and put it inio theeimvent " Said 
 ! ''riieii my eh ill hell have Ljut lo tro to tht Con- 
 vent before t'.iey ;4et into tho lli^di Scho'il ol- 
 GramiiiMr Sehool,'' and he said " Vcs.' 1 viid, 
 "I will not send them." lie said, "Vo;! will 
 have to '■ 1 said "I won't have lo ' "'rhcn, 
 yiiu will hiue lo keep theui at hoiii",'' sai 1 h;;. 
 Said 1, '•! will. 
 
 <i'. Ami you ilid ke"p them home. A. Xo, 
 I ha^'n't to keep tli.'in home, for when Mr 
 CroeI.et eainc here, tli 'thiiii,' was abolished. Hi 
 said no one Would b' eoiii])'lled to send their 
 children to the v.'onv-'iit sehool. 
 
 Mr. Crocket Wouldn't b3 a Tool. 
 
 Mr. Pitts thoii'^lit that it w;is prubibly 
 from his oulsji li^-eiiiie ;.s, and iloteniiiirition 
 tliar. no .siieh indigniiy sh nilil lie pr'^s.sed 
 upon Protustauts and hui^ause lu: would 
 not become a willing,' tool of tlic (iovern- 
 munt, that Mr Crocket was (lismiss-'d. 
 Tlioro was one important fact, liowe\'er, 
 riglir at tliis point, reLTardins,' i!- being ohli'.;.!,- 
 tory to send the cliihUvu to the iJonveot, 
 if .Lj'railed there, that it woiihl he well for 
 tho House and country to ip derstand, ami 
 that was tliat tho IJoanl of Education hav- 
 ing granted these licenses, s[)ocial and 
 )ieculiar as tho method may have h'-.^en, and 
 tho Sisteri having been eiiii^loved in these 
 scliools, in the way tliey liad, tho Protest- 
 ants would have inen aunpill-d to send 
 their cliil ren to t'.ie convents ; and when 
 tlio Sisters teach in tlie [lublic schools, a.s 
 at present, there seems no redress, until 
 these obno.xious regulations penuitting this 
 al)S!U'dity are done away with. 
 
 Following this evidence carefully, 
 the House niust he eonviui'od that this 
 method of grading, and tlie advent of tlio 
 convent jchools and Sisters wove t'ue ciuse 
 
 of tlie trouble, as sot out in cnmplaint num- 
 ber 7, and that tho charge in that alhgii- 
 tion had lieen proved. 
 
 The Excessive Costs of tho 
 Schools. 
 
 lie would now take u|i complaint num- 
 ber !( which I'oferred to the U.vcessive cusc 
 of keepiii'.; up the schools since the Sisters 
 came lo llathurs'. Not only had the as- 
 aessmeiits been increased but- tlie Protest- 
 ants had been oliliged to kee[i up .a |iii\at<) 
 school. Tlie comjiiaint read as follows : — 
 
 '.I, 'i'iiat the eonrs" ]i!ir-iu"l by the said ,~ehool 
 trustees in so est.i.blishin\' said Conveiihial 
 se'io lis ani.1 in snst.iiniir.,' the saiii ■ and in rend- 
 ering the pnblicc oiii'.n msehoolsot s.iid districts 
 li'^s n-iefnl than the.v otiierwise w mid have 
 lie.::i, have gnsi!;ly in 'rease I tiie ('Oit of mam- 
 taiiiin,;^ selio ils in sai I s.;hool districts, to tho 
 ^reat loss and iiiinrv of tliu rat .^payers in said 
 seliooi districts 
 
 While there was a surelit of es'idence re- 
 garding this ahegalion, and going to prove 
 the truth of the same, he would ipi nc 
 a few only, which he believed would ci n- 
 vinoe tlie I louse witliout long iirgUiiient. 
 In the first place the dual grading of 
 schools, iu;cessit;ate I liy t!ie advent ni tie 
 sisi-i.'i-s, brouiifht aliou; a n.;.\;s>ity for m ire 
 to ichors. He had sho.vnby.Mr .M.i-^er- 
 eau's evidence ]ireviously, that t'l..: coming 
 of the Si-,rers hi I c.uise I the trouble : his 
 evidoiicij weiii m toslui.v that the expense 
 Was also greatly increased by their e.iiuing. 
 
 What th2 Sa3i30 3-.3r Taaa^'iit. 
 
 " .\ei orilinrf to my jcdi'iii'iit .is I m: d ■ my 
 o-'rieiiile (! tJiitik it w.i-n't jn-l I) ■loi'' m r.iinjj 
 my last lep I'l of ISDl), I I'.ouu'ht four te.i-i:; r-i 
 could do th'.' uork thoii done liy six Tiiat uay 
 iii\- ju Inneu'.'' 
 
 (,>. D.iLi-i the samo remark \du have male 
 ab lUt C.'ie town apo'.V to the V'ili.i,,' •'; a 'I'iie 
 namiK'r of t 'aehers t'.at eouM hi di-pensed witii 
 iiii,<lit not be .so ijreat- I tiiiuk they hav • four 
 t.a"'iers in the Villa;- L rhiuk with a diil'ereiit; 
 auMU'rem 'Ut of ;^'i'a llii,', or a dilfjl'cuL or;-;aiu- 
 /.atloa, t;iey mi^ht lio with threj. 
 
 In reference to the extra cost in tho 
 nniiitainence of the schools in the Village, 
 tile .Secret.iry, Dr. Dun.Mii, made ans'A'er : 
 
 (}. Can you (jri\e iin tlie cause of th-' in- 
 orea-fi'.' . Kirsu of all there would bi ilino 
 teadiers to be ]i,iid. 
 
 (l- There would b" the Sisters? ^. ^"e^. 
 
 (I, Tiiey would be additional ',' .-V. Ye^. Then 
 then' was tlu' care-taker in addition and the wood 
 in ,a 1 lition 'I'here would lie a further amoiuit re- 
 ((uire 1 for wood than what wa.i iieocssary for tho 
 Sap rior school buildiii<,' 
 
 in .answer to another question ho said, I 
 would say there wore more teaehers empliiyed 
 than wci'o ncojssary to tcaeli the iuuui>;r ol 
 li'Hiils. 
 
10 
 
 The Assessments Still Large. 
 
 In aiiotlicr placo in iMr. Duncan's evi- 
 dence, lie slirjwH tlifit iiltliougli the people 
 hiive largely left the district, yet theassess- 
 iiK-nt is larger tlian formerly, .showing 
 very concliisivuly tliat tlie cause of the in- 
 crease is through the Convent schools 
 I'uiiig estahlislie 1. fie (Pitts) said he had 
 it on excellent autlioriry tliat at tlie school 
 meeting last October, ^2i)0 were added to 
 tlie amount assessed tlie year before ; that 
 !?1 (<()() was assessed in the town when 
 !?110() ought to di) the work, and that tlie 
 I'ublic sjhoiil huilduiLCs were sulhcieiitly 
 1 1 .'e in hotli Town and Village to accom- 
 late all tlu; jiupils. His information 
 >.'. .s to the ell'ect that in the town there 
 were four largo rooms 28x28, with ceilings 
 12 and 13 feet high, and certain class 
 rooms In Mr. Mersere.iu's evidence we 
 have the f.act th.it four teachers would be 
 sullii/ieiit, and it seemed t) him (Pitts) th.at 
 four ruiims would l)e all four te.ichers could 
 well occui)}', so what use was there for the 
 Convent — yet the Convent was leased. 
 T!iis at an extra cost for building, two 
 ( xti',1 teacliers, an extr.i janitor, extra fuel 
 and extra exi)eiisefor furniture ; was there 
 t ny wonder the l*rotest^nts objected so 
 strenuously ? 
 
 Not Employed Because She was a 
 Protestant. 
 
 The 121.11 complaint w.is as follows : — 
 
 12. Tiiat in the Ooiiu'y of (rlomio.stor, and 
 in ot'icr -ch'iKl disti-icts in said county, tho said 
 trii^tif-' of '^aiil hcnMuhnfoic UK'ntioni'il districts 
 liavn refused to eni))!oy I'ote-^tant teachers on 
 aecount of their reH^^ions faith, and because 
 such teachers would not. from conscientious 
 ieruples, atrree to ti^aiih tiie Jlonian Catholic 
 (atcchisni to the piipds uf said schools. 
 
 The rioiise would remember that in en- 
 cioivoring to secure evidence of well circu- 
 lated statements, the petitioners had been 
 in so many instances compelled to draw 
 the facts from univilling and hostile 
 wirnesses. It was thus evident, how dith- 
 cult it often bccauio to prove what was 
 very generally known and believed. The 
 cases involved in this complaint, however, 
 were r.ither more e.isy of jjroof than some 
 of tlio otiiers, for tliere had been little 
 Bccret reg.ivding tlie fac s. 
 
 Miss Mary Alexander thus recounts her 
 experience : 
 
 I said to the trustees I would keep on longer 
 if my license was extended, jirovidintJf they 
 wo\ild keep uie, and they told mo they did nut 
 care about keepinj? nie, or wouldn't. 
 
 ^i J>iil you a'^k the reason? \, I asked 
 tlie rea-!on, and they said thuy wanted t em- 
 ploy « liunian Catholic, w tliyir children had 
 
 not liad any religious instruction during tTie tiino 
 I was there. 
 
 l^- What did Maloney say when you went to 
 him (one of the trustees). A. He told nie he 
 wuiildn t enii)loy ine, and I asked him the rea- 
 son, and he said, because you are a I'rutestant 
 and cannot teach our children religi<in. 
 
 <.l. And yon were notoniijloyed at tliis time? 
 A. No ; tiiey did not enii)loy mo 
 
 Must Have a Roman Catholic 
 Teacher. 
 
 On cross-examination the evidence proved 
 that she went to the Protestant trustee, 
 Mr. Hicks, who refused her also. 
 
 "lie refused mo also I asked liim hii roa- 
 .soTi and he said l)ec:uise he had pronus..! the 
 people to liiro iiotliiui,' but a Catholic teacher. 
 
 <i. On tliat ground you were refused. A. 
 Yes. 
 
 For the benefit of the House he would 
 read some of Mr. Hicks' evidence : 
 
 Q, Did y u have any conversation with 
 Maloney? (Tliis would be about the liiring of 
 Miss Alexander,) A. Yes 
 
 (I Wiiat was the substance of tlmt ? A. 
 Well, Malouey told nus that heobjecteil to her 
 on account of nor bein^' a l'rote>tant, that tliey 
 wanted a Catliolic 1 told him as loir,' as they 
 wanted a Catholic teaciier, I was perfectly 
 willing they sliould have her. 
 
 <j Fn saying to you that ho wanted a 
 CatlK)lie teaciier did ifaloney say auvthing to 
 you about wanting religious instruction? .-V.. 
 lie said you know wiiat we want We w.uit a 
 Catholic teacher to have the rites of our Church. 
 
 Here were the two Protestant trustees 
 and tlio teacher giving str.aighc evidence 
 that Miss Alexander was not emi'luyed 
 because she was a Protestant, and they 
 wanted religious instruction for the Roman 
 Catholic cliihlrou, and yet the learned 
 judge overlooks this prepoiiderence of 
 eviilence and accepts t!ie st.itenient of the 
 Roman Catludic trustee. The House and 
 the country can judge whether or not 
 this comiil.iint en the part of the petition- 
 ers has been proved. 
 
 Roman Catholic Prayers and 
 Catechism. 
 
 ilie next complaint was that over which 
 .so iniu'h indignation had been caused 
 throughout the province. The evidence 
 was very full and volumiiKuis, and he 
 thought very conclusive. The duuplaint 
 of the Pmtes'ants was as follows : — 
 
 14. That in ce>-tain of the scliools in the 
 County of (rloiu^oster the Honiati Catholic catu- 
 chisni has been taught within school hours. 
 
 That Roman Catholic pr.iyers have Uoen 
 used within such hours in said schools. 
 
 That Protestant children have been in the 
 habit of kneeling in said school hours and >;ross- 
 iiig tiiemsdves along with the Ivoman Cathulio 
 puiiils. 
 
11 
 
 Tliat in ono or more in taiicos Prntostai.t 
 ciiil'lii'U liavo b.MMi fiiivi.'il liy tli''ir tt'aclinr.s in 
 saiil svliDiils ti) so Uni'cl ami ci-dss tlK'Uischos. 
 
 'I'liat i'l on(i iu^'taiiii' a Protrstant pupil in 
 oni- of saiil schools wa-" onluivd by tlio tfaulicr 
 of sii'-li scliool to li-avt^ tlic sanio lifcauso lio 
 Would not kiii'cl in >:ii(l scl'.ool wirli tlii' Konian 
 ('.ilni'lic impiN, anil the said Protestant pupil 
 ''■•' li-avo tliu srliool undrr and by rca-son of 
 su;;li order. 
 
 Tliu lii'st evidence lie would refi;r to was 
 that '^iveii by Anna Iv Oorbett, a cliild 12 
 years of ai.'o, fruiii Petit Roeher. Ki^fer- 
 iii',' to tlie scliool in that di.striet, at wliieh 
 s!u' was atteiidiu'^ the following (luostious 
 and answeis were given : 
 
 *>. 1 supii')~i' till- first tiiin'^' that is done id 
 theeallinrof the roll? A. Y(.-!. 
 
 i>. hat eonr's next ? ^. I'rayers. 
 
 (,>. Wiat prayer is it, do you know? A. 
 f'uriiolie pra\ er. 
 
 '^ Does that take phvco m'ery morning? A. 
 \ I s. 
 
 ^i. Who does the pravinf,', the teath(>r, the 
 pupils, ,,!■ both? A. I'.ui'h. 
 
 <,'. 'I'iiis is aft,;r sehool opens at 'J o'clock? 
 A. \'.s. 
 
 1^'. Is tlicre anymore jiraycrs said during tho 
 day? A Yes, before thi.^ school goes out at 
 diam^r time, aii<l when it eunies in at diiuier 
 tilii. and out at ni'-!'ht. 
 
 <.>. That would be ])rayers how many timea 
 Jaily ? A. l-'our times. 
 
 (}. Did Miss 1' renette (the teac-her) ti aeh tho 
 cau-L^ln'-ui ? A. \ es. 
 
 Tn,wght the Catechism. 
 
 ',> When wo'dd -he teach tho cato(;hism? 
 A. .'- Iter recos in the afternoon. 
 '} About what time would you havo recess ? 
 
 A. o I ■'elcii-k 
 
 (>. Would that be when you were coming in 
 from reei'ss (ir \\ ht 11 yon were going out ? A. 
 (.'oii.inir in. 
 
 1.1 Was it the Catholic ra^echism ? A. Yes, 
 
 <^>. Do ) ,.u know of the teacher making any 
 
 nttempt to hide the fact that she taught tho 
 
 eateehi-ni from Mr ^Mcisereau ? (the inspector.) 
 
 a. Ve~. 
 
 (). What was it? A.. She hail a class up 
 up an 1 was cxpecling the Fi!s]>eitor t!iat afler- 
 lioon. and some one said that the lns])celor was 
 comin-r in and she hid the eatechi-im. 
 
 <•. Was she teaching the catechism to this 
 e'a^s? .\. Yes, and some one of the pupils 
 said that the liis|)cetor «as comiuLj in, and she 
 iud the catechism and sent the pupils to their 
 sweats 
 
 t.>. DM you kneel with (heothers? A. Yea. 
 
 (). Were there other I'mtestau; children at 
 the school beside you iu Mv, Duudreau's depart- 
 ment. A. Yes. 
 
 They all Knelt. 
 
 ■ O. Did they kneel? A. Yes. 
 
 (> I'. sides kneelin'.r when the-e ]>rayerr Tv.^r'* 
 Pa'd did voui-ee the childreiivrossing themselves.' 
 A. Yes". 
 
 Tlu! witness went on to tell how .sho hail 
 told her father nlMUit these prayers and 
 how her ftithci- tuld her she shuuld not do 
 
 it and tlic following pertinent fact w>i9 
 brought out : 
 
 Q. After yo;r father toM you that d'd y. i) 
 continue to join in the prayers ? A. Yes. 
 
 <i- You did not do as .our fatlier told yon 
 then? A. 1 saw others doing it. 
 
 This, Mr. Pitts .said, was ono of the con- 
 tentions the Protestants had made all 
 iiloiig, that, notwithstanding what their 
 parents might toll them, these yuiing 
 children, such as tho witness, would coii- 
 tiiuio to disobey their jiarents, and kneel 
 ami cross themselves in these schools, 
 where those prayers and cutocliism wen; 
 tivught, from the desire not to he lauubed 
 at or twitted by their compuiions. It 
 w.is not only cliildren that weri; a o ted 
 hy this feeling, but he know mai.y men 
 who would not st;ind U[) for their ilnty, 
 and for principle, liecause they shrank 
 from the laughter of Iheir comitanioiis. As 
 regards tho children, it was a most perni- 
 cious thing to make it possible to have 
 this temptation put iu their way. The 
 witness in reply to fi (|nestion said shu 
 knelt because she saw otiieis kneel. Thus 
 wo see tho force of example This evi- 
 dence further brings out the fact mi jiago 
 iiTH that these prayers wore said four 
 times a day, and between prayers and catt- 
 chism it would a|)[iear to an ortliiiary indi- 
 vidual that tlioro was very little time for 
 teaehing any other subject. It «.is v.nrlh 
 noticing the ingenuity displayed by sumo 
 of the I'oiiti.si;! ti) tind out if these childion 
 had not been tampered with, or rat' er 
 priiiii^d as to what to say. That Muna 
 person anxious to work u]) a case had been 
 interviewing them and tellin.g them what 
 to say. It was ipiito patent that the hope 
 was entertained to bring out that Uev. A. 
 F. Th'Uisiiii had been sueiigam:d -a man, 
 by the way, who had been greatly 
 maligned and viiilied by a portion of tho 
 press of the country for tho bold, maii'y 
 stand ho had taken in th<^ interests of f..ir 
 play and justice. After-b' inging ou t e Tact 
 that the lirst knowledge sho h.id, tiiat she 
 would boreipiircdasa witness was by a tele- 
 gram received on Wednesday night, auil 
 when asked if she had talked over this iiiai tor 
 of the teaching of the c:itocliism and |n'ayeiS 
 with any one, she repliod, ''jut-tat liuuie," 
 and w itli no ono else. 
 
 (J. Did your father till yon what you had to 
 come here anil do? ti. lie said to tell tha 
 truth. 
 
 She was Told to "Tell the Truth." 
 
 Ife pointed outto the llouno, th.at all he 
 (I'itts) wanted w.is to havo the truth 
 brought out, and it was more than pasHin;^- 
 
VI 
 
 strange that two witnesses, who were ex- 
 jiucted to show they were i,'i\ini,' oviileuco 
 ti) get '".soiiie iniu out of ;i liolc," ishould 
 say in such iduuticiil tLTius (liat tliey were 
 told to "tell the truth." Whethur it was 
 in a Qiiinu iiivusUgariou or before a IJatli- 
 iirst School eonnni.ssi.iii, all he (Pitts) 
 wanted was to have the triilh tolil 
 and (',iven to the country, and they could 
 decide what w;ts )-iglitaiid what was wrong. 
 .An eil'ort had liucn i:!a !e to show tli.at 
 this teaching of the catecliisni had iiueu 
 after school hours hut this wilnc^s, as 
 v.-ell as all the others exanuned on the sub- 
 ject, showed that while the catechism was 
 l)eing taught the other scholai's were occu- 
 pied at other studies, and that it was before 
 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 
 
 What a 10 Year Old Child had to 
 Say. 
 
 Thentliero was;inother witness from the 
 panic school, and a sister of the former 
 witness, Ada M. Ciirl)ctt, aged 10 years, 
 who subst.mtiated the foruicr evidence 
 that the ]irayers and catechisni were said, 
 nud that all knelt. This was some of the 
 evidence : — 
 
 Q \Vlien these prayers are being said do the 
 
 c1iild"i'ii kiucl V i\. W'S 
 
 • ^ Do vdu kneel with tlip rest? A. Yea. 
 
 *> |).i ihcy cri'ss theiiiNelves? A. Yes 
 
 (,> Wimlii tlic French eliildren read their 
 
 Frenc'h liudk-s when tlie Inspector was tlierc ? 
 
 A Yes. 
 
 *). I id tlipy li.ave fjiteciiism then ? A Yes, 
 bat tliey did not say any cateeliisw when he was 
 there. 
 
 Ifer (ivifience went on to say that when 
 the others were having catechism she made 
 drawings; that would be before 4 o'clock, and 
 that children were stopped fnnn going out 
 until 4 o'clock, unless they asked the 
 teacher in the regidar way. 
 
 The next witness was a brother, .Tames 
 H. Corl)ett, ageil 14, who was in the ad- 
 vanced deiiartment. He gave evidence 
 regarding the prayers and catechisni 
 and of their all kneeling and cro.ssing 
 themselves, that it was the Catholic cate- 
 chism ; that he w;is unable to get out 
 until after the catechism was through, and 
 school regularly disniissetl, and that no 
 one had any ci"i.v(!r,satiiin with him regard- 
 ing the nature of his evidence. 
 
 All the Teachers Taught the 
 
 Catechism and said R. C. 
 
 Prayers. 
 
 The next witness was Peter Doncett, 
 wlu) referred to a school at Green Point. 
 Prayers and catechism were said, and the 
 the scholars crossed themselves. The 
 
 prayers and catechism were all within 
 
 scliool hours All the teachers whose scli'iuls 
 he had .tttuadcd taught ihe cate,;liism and 
 said prayers. 
 
 Another witness 3Iary E. Doucett, from 
 the same jilaco gave eviilence, in ciu'ro- 
 boration of th;it of her brothers. Roman 
 Caihulic ])raycrs were said and catecliism 
 taught, and it, was all prior to 4 o'cloc<. 
 U hen asked if she had told her ninther 
 about it, she re[ilied that slie hail, and that 
 her uiolher had. said she couldn't help prayers 
 being saiil because they were there in the 
 jilace. There uus no other school of any 
 kind they could go to. He p;>inted out 
 to the Huusc that a great deal had lieeu 
 s:iid that if the P.otest.ants did nut like 
 their eliildren to hear these jiriiyers aii.l 
 catechism to witlidivi'-v tlieir children, but 
 they must understjuid that in tiiose s[)irse- 
 ly settled districts schools were not so 
 plentiful, and it simply meant ih.it the 
 children of these Protestant f.imilies if 
 withdra.vn frnm the sclmols would be de- 
 barred from getting an education. 
 
 He was Told by the Trustees and 
 Priest to Teach the Catechism. 
 
 The next evidence he w<iuldtiko up "a.'* 
 that of Thc'idore Laiigis, formerly a teacher 
 in Bathurst Village. On being examined 
 he ackiiowle(lged to having been dii'ecreil 
 to teach the catechism in the s(;lio(ils. 
 The following evidence referred (o that 
 feature of the case :— 
 
 Q Did you at any time have .any directinns, 
 and if so from whimi, with re^jiir". to te;veliin.f 
 the eutechisin in tlje schnol.s? A. Yes, I lia l 
 iiisti'uetiiai from AJr. Thos. Lcalv, Seliunl 
 Trustee 
 
 (i What was th.e instruction he gave ycm? 
 A lie iisked Ilieif I Would tcai;h the ciltechism 
 after school liours. I talil it made no diirereiice 
 to me. 
 
 (,>. You told him yon would ? A. Ye.s. 
 
 (}. And you did? A. Yes. 
 
 (.}. Di.l you ever tell any iier.son that I hcT 
 Varrily did i-enue-it yi>u to tcaeli the catecliism 
 in tiuit seliool? A. lie did net ask me !it that 
 tiiii(> lleiisliiil me, 1 think it was tln^ second 
 year, if 1 woulfl teach tiie ))itr boys in tiie fir-t 
 de|)artinciit, but ho did not ask mo at the be- 
 ginning,'. 
 
 There did not appear to be much dmibt 
 that the catechism was taught by all 
 the teachers. Accoiding to Mr, 
 
 Langis' evidence in another iilaw: he said 
 he taught the catechism wibhl',1 school 
 hours, and so did the Sisters, in their 
 evidence, that at the Convent they taught 
 from 12 to 12 'M, which has been very 
 pro]ierly held, even by the lioard of Edu- 
 cation which seems determined to hold 
 nothing detrimental to the Eloiuau Cathu- 
 
13 
 
 lic.M, that the nooii-hoiir is part of tho 
 pcliool day. 
 
 Tlie next witncsa, Cliarlos JVIillor, aged 
 10, was ill tho udvancod department in 
 Petit Rocher, and ho gavo evidruco to tho 
 fact that tho CHtccliisni was taught, and 
 praj-c-rs said in tliat school licfoi'o 4 oV'hx'k 
 in the aftcrndun, iind that tlie children 
 cr<iss(ul tlienis(>lv(;.s. 
 
 No Old Thing: in this Teaohin 
 Catechism 
 
 AnotliL'v wilnoHs. Cliarkis W. Wickctt, 
 aired 11 years, liolmiLiiny to (^reen Point, 
 gave evidence tn the eil'eet that jiraye 'H 
 V, ero Kfiid iiiid cateuhisni taught up to 
 the present time. An effort had boon 
 made to have it apjRNir tliat some JO or 15 
 years ajj;o thin was l)einii; done, l)nt had 
 h)!!^; ago been discont.innetl. Tlii.s was not 
 a f.iet ; riL;liL up (o the timu of tlie investi- 
 L;ation tlie.so tilings had been g( 
 ral<e soiue of the evidence of 
 ^\■ickett : 
 
 )nig on. 
 the lad 
 
 [} Do you kiircl when tlicse prayers are 
 b( in;,' suifi ? A Vis 
 
 '> Do you cross yourself ? A. No 
 
 t^. J lave you ever doni^so? A. Tho first 
 cniplc (vf (lays I wt'iit to i-eliuol I used to cross 
 liiy>'.'lf, 1 (Kiii't now. 
 
 ' .' 'I'iu'ti ycui stiip]K'fl it did you ? A. Yes. 
 
 ','. I'id any one tell vou to stop it? A. Yea. 
 
 ^'. \Vli.) V ■ v. My'tatlnr 
 
 1^'. \\livii tlie cliildM^n wore askrd to ktu el 
 nnii juiii 111 prayer whon you first went there, 
 yiiu did or atti'iuplt'd to do wliat you saw the 
 ovhtr iliihh'iii du, ill the way of erowiii^' your- 
 >-'Ari A. Yes. 
 
 Theii, he said, tlicrp wat the evidence of 
 Ly.la Va\y Ellis, a little girl of 14 years of 
 a^''. In jior evidence slie said regarding 
 the iv'iman Catholic ]irayers : — • 
 
 () \\'liat is the iiniiie of those Protestant 
 ohiidreii? A. J\i r. Wickctt's cliild/en. 
 1} Do tli.y kneel •; -v Yes 
 < >. At till' >aiiie time these prayers are being 
 
 fl\[i\ '.' \ Vrs. 
 
 <,». Do.-s the tculii'r k-ii(M'l? A. Yes 
 
 ( •. lul till' ('afliiilu; eliildreij cross thetn* 
 selves ? A. Y.'s. 
 
 <,). Ibivc yoM rvi-r kni'lt A. Yes. (Refer" 
 riiiar to the i^hn Ti Scjiool.) 
 
 (J The ihildreu l;iielt at the same time tho 
 teiiehcr did '! ->. Yes 
 
 (). And repeated with hiiii tJH! prayers ? A. 
 Ye«. 
 
 *). Did tliey cro^!? tlii'iiisclves ? A. Yes. 
 
 (,• ])ii you cross yourself ? A. Yes. 
 
 <,'. Did you kneel? a. Yes, 
 
 <,(, \Veic you told, to do so? A. \"es. 
 
 <,'. A\'lio toldyou to doso? A, The te.'icher 
 
 *i. Told you to do what? A. To kneel and 
 nho to ero^s inyelf. 
 
 <^ Di<l vou tell your father and mother about 
 tin-? A. 'Yes 
 
 t,». i nd what did they say? A. They told 
 tne not to do it. 
 
 TTe (Pitts) pointed out to the Hou^,a that 
 it had been held by Judge F'raser and iMr. 
 White that this witness had contradict e I 
 herself, but ho had failed to see, in lookiiv^ 
 over tlio evidence, wlieve she had i!i i.ny 
 way d:)ne so. Hut what of i\Ir. Langis' 
 evidence which had been acce[)ted so com- 
 pletely by these gontlemeii. He 11 a ly 
 contradicts himself. He says on jiage 418 
 of the evidence tliat Father Varrily did 
 not say anyrhing to him about teaching 
 (ho catecliisin, wliilo tin page 4:^0 on cross- 
 oxaniinatiim he says, "Ho asked me if I 
 W(nild teach the big boys " Tlien, as he 
 had jioiiitcii out previously, the evidence 
 of Patrick Mnlont.'y was taken by theso 
 gentlemen, whdo that of the two Protest- 
 ant trustees was ignored, as regards' re- 
 fusing to engage Miss Alexander as a 
 teacher, bocause f^ho was a Protestant. 
 
 Confusing tho Witnesses. 
 
 As a matter of fact tho evidence of tlic 
 Ellis girl was perfectly straightforward, 
 tliough when Mr. White tried to confuse 
 her, slu! began to cry -but tliero 
 wei'o bigger person«j than this little girl 
 confuso'l by In'ow-beating counsel, as tlui 
 House had an ex,inii>le of in one of tliu 
 C(>i!niiitlee rooms not long ago. 
 
 The next evidence he would refer to wa;^ 
 that of Peter Doucett, ot'tireen I'oint, aged 
 14. This witness corroborates the fact; 
 that tlio jirayers wore .said and cati:chisui 
 taught, and brings out the fict tha"- the 
 teacher ordered him home if he would not 
 kneel riidit while these Catholic prayer.'i 
 were being said. 
 
 A. Mi-is Philoini-'n R ndi'cau told trie when T. 
 was krieelinij ou the desk, if I woiiidu t kucil 
 ligiit to Ko lioiiie. 
 
 (.>. 'I'his was while prayers wore boiiifr said'' 
 A. Y^•s 
 
 <). A nd she told you — ? A. To kneel .'i^dif 
 or else go home. 
 
 Mr. White — This complaint was never 
 lirought to tho attention of the Board of 
 Education until this investigation. 
 
 Mr. Pitts said it seemed iiicrediblo tlrit 
 tho I'oard of Education could not have 
 known of this, in \iew of tlie re[ieateil 
 complaints, and petitions sent to iheiii, 
 lieside.s 1 tst year it had been brought u[) in 
 tho Hiaiso and ridiculed by the (lovern- 
 nient, when a letter or telegram referring 
 of this fact was road. It would l»o self- 
 evident to any one who followed up t!ie 
 evidence, oven t) those who had heard tho 
 jiortions he had read that the teachers who 
 t^iuight the catechism kiKiwthey wore floiiig 
 wrong, (Mid that tlioy had endeavored to 
 cor'oyal tho fact from tho ins^iector. 
 
14 
 
 Taltlnf,' all things into consideration he 
 foU tlicy inu>,u fairly and lioncstly concede 
 1;liat the complaint numbered 14 made V)y 
 the ])utiti()ner.s had been proved, yes, more 
 tlian jiroved. It was inlerestini^ to note 
 tliat the government had made several 
 (iinendments to former regulations after the 
 investigation, fixing the school hours, and 
 doing away with all prayers, excepting the 
 Lord's Prayer 
 
 All this trouble had begun when the 
 Sisters wore bi'ought to Bathurst, and 
 ciiuuiieneed teaching in the conveiit, under 
 tile name of teaching public scliools, and as 
 tliey said '" coming under the law," but aa 
 he (Pitts) contended not '" according to ti-e 
 law." Mr. O'iirien, the Secretary, a3- 
 kiiDwludges on page 40 of the evidence that 
 the advent of the (Sisters caused tlie first 
 symptoms uf the difliculties which had 
 btien since becoming more aggravatt I. 
 NVilli tiieir cr)ming to, and the o])ening of 
 the convent school began the depleting of 
 the public schools, and an eilbrt was made 
 even to do away with the Granmiar and 
 Higli Schools, and from that totiicemphjy- 
 nient of inferior teachers on tiie jilea of 
 (.'CoiHuny. That the necessity for the using 
 of these convents buildings is disproved by 
 several witnesses. Mr. Gannnon in his 
 evidence shows that in the town the public 
 Kclio(d building is plenty large cnougii to 
 acconniiodate all the children attending it, 
 find in the Village Dr. Duncan's evi ience 
 giies to show, that by the building of a 
 ■smail addition to the [jresent building f(,T 
 which there was plenty available space, 
 there would be plenty room to accommo- 
 date all the scholars in that district, Pro- 
 testant and Roman Catholic, and no room 
 in the convent would be necessary. As n 
 result of tlie way things were managed it 
 liad been l)rouglit out clearly in evidence 
 that the departments in the public school 
 Were almost depleted, while the convent 
 sciinols were over crowdetl and which 
 buildings, by the way, had not the pre- 
 Kcribed air s])aceto each pupil or the necos- 
 sai'v height of ceiling. 
 
 Furniture had been taken from the 
 public buildings t'> lit up the convent, but 
 this did not count very much, though it 
 was thought a heinou.s crime at the time, 
 if they were going to recognize these con- 
 ventual schools as public schools, and com- 
 ing under the law. 
 
 And liere he would say that the Protest- 
 ants (if IJathurst, of Gloucester County for 
 that matter did not object to Roman 
 Catholic teachers — that is to say teachers 
 of the Roman Cfttholic faith. It was the 
 memliers of the Religious orders, di'essed 
 in their peculiar garb, that was offensive to 
 
 the Protestants. No objection, so far as 
 he had been able to ascertiiin, had ever bcei» 
 made to a R C. teacher having the proper 
 iiualilication, that is holding a pi'oper 
 license from the Normal School, by the Pro- 
 testants. Take the evidence of Dr Dun- 
 can, the Secretary of the Trustees for 
 BathuiSt Village. 
 
 (^. I til ink you knew that the Protestants 
 did not i)l)j''ct U) Catlicilic twvi.'hers bi'ing eni- 
 ploycil on the sanif; hasi.s a.s Protfstant tcacli'Ts? 
 /*. K(i, 1 think tliorchas iifverbten any objec- 
 tion to the enij)l(iyin<!nt of Ci'tholic tfaeiicr.-f 
 
 i-l It wai only tiic intrusion of the eonvent 
 idea that the Proti'stants objuct to? A. That 
 st'i'nis to hi' till' idea 
 
 <.^ They were eccl(.'5iast;i.al schools in the 
 intei>-.«ts of th(^ fJoman Catholic church, i.'s that 
 not tho ynjiuid so fur as yon know of the con- 
 tention ? A V es I ju'. smne that was the 
 ground. That is tho idea I would gather from it. 
 
 Refci ring to the question as to wliethcr 
 he (Dr Duncan) would send his children to 
 the Sisters, in the public school, the follow- 
 ing reply was given : — 
 
 No, I wouldn't send them to a Sister at all 
 undi-r my idea that she is tlu' representative of •■) 
 religious order. It would not be anything 
 against the Sister, but just simply according to 
 Uiy l^resbyterian views, if you put it .so, I would 
 consider that I wouldn't lie doing right in sond- 
 in.f my children to a teacher who waa a memb(^v 
 of a religious order. 
 
 Mr. Ganmion in his evidence also brings 
 out strongly that he would not send his 
 children to the public school if it were 
 taught by a Sister ni the characteristic garb 
 of her religious order. 
 
 The Foundation of a,Il the Trouble 
 
 was with the Roman Catholics 
 
 themselves. 
 
 Passing on he said that he had fairly, 
 and honestly endeavored to think out a 
 solution of the problem of the difficulties at 
 Bathurst. It might suit those who had 
 designated him as an agitator, adema'-'Ogue 
 aiul crank, v.ho thought they could make a 
 little political capital out of this mode of 
 vilifying him, to throw broadcast the as- 
 sertions that his views were extreme, and 
 l)iased but lie rejiudiated any such asser- 
 tions. Tiiroughout this controversy he had 
 been actuated l)y only the best and fairest 
 of niotiveri, and time would show that most 
 clearly. He had seen the Protestants of 
 Bathurst endeavoring in every way to get 
 a settlement of the difficulty, offering ali 
 .Sorts of concessions nuire than he believed 
 tliey should have done, but t!ie Catholics 
 there seemed deternuned to get them by 
 the throat and hold them down, and for 
 one ho did not propose to stand by,,ftad see 
 this brigand method of coercion. „ 
 
 . 
 
 l^ 
 
i-T^-':- 
 
 •^ . 
 
 15 
 
 i 
 
 f\ 
 
 c 
 
 It was nonsense to hide the fact that the 
 Very base of the tr(iu})lo was in the liatred 
 of tiie Roman Catholic ecclesiastical au- 
 thorities to the FriHi Hchool System, ami 
 their firm and unaltoralile determinatinn 
 to teach their own religion in the public 
 schools, where they had anything like a 
 chance of scheming or working it into the 
 system. Tlie whole evidence of the wit- 
 nesses representing this church permeated 
 with thi.s idea, and they showed no hesi- 
 tancy in so exjiressing themselves. H(nv 
 was it possible, he asked the House, to 
 cr.me to an amical)le settlement of this 
 vexing question when it was publicly de- 
 clared thiit while coming under the schools 
 law, they des[)ised the law, and were deter- 
 mined to teach their religion in the schools. 
 Take some instances — only a few — for time 
 woukl not permits— from the evidence. 
 Bishop Rogers gave in evidence on jjage 
 12(1, that he had not read the schools law, 
 nor tlie regulations. 
 
 y. Ibivn yQ\i al)-itaint;d from that, on point 
 of i)riii(iplo? A No, nut on jwint of principle 
 but hfcaiisc 1 liiil not likn it. 
 
 Q. Wfiat was the jjoiiit of yotir objection? 
 A. Tt f'xcludi'ii rcliffion. It w.asnon-dtnoniina- 
 tional. n(in-soctarian, and I know that y<m can- 
 not teach rehgion without teaching it under 
 sonif! ono or othor of the ditfcrcnt swtarian 
 foriuji, etc. 
 
 Hern was tho Bishop taking a stanrl diame- 
 trically opposed to tiie, dearest jirinuiple in the 
 Schools Law to Proti'stants. Their pride in 
 the law Was in that it was non-sectarian. The 
 Bishop olijeoted to it on that very ground. But 
 to go on a little farther : 
 
 Q Is not one of your greatest objections to 
 the present law tliat you consider so wrong, that 
 it interferes with ecclesiastical authority. A. 
 No, it docs not interfcK; with ecclesiastical 
 authority, because we do not ht it. We dc.tpise 
 it no mvch Hint vx go riijht along doing our duty 
 indvpiiident of it. 
 
 Despised it so much that they went right 
 along reg.irdles.s of the law. It did seem most 
 strong language, and at once enjcted a barrier 
 that was msurnumntable. If that was the 
 ijolic y of tlie Koniau Catholic church the fight 
 better ho brought on at once for there never 
 could be any reconciliation with those ideivs 
 prevalent or endeavored to be enfori^ed — there 
 never could be any harinouy between che two 
 contending |iarties. Take some of tiie objec- 
 tions to tlie law as made by Father Varrily, a 
 phrewd man hy the way, and of whom to read 
 the evidence alone, it was sutH 'lent to see that 
 he was sharp and thoriuighly diplomatic. He 
 li'ad not the pleasure of ttnowing that gentleman 
 but he must concede that he was a man of no 
 ordinary intelligence but while dodging the 
 inain issue, that gentleiuan'H objections, in hia 
 (Pitts) opinion were lechiiieal and frivolous, 
 wlien compared to the gieat issues at state, and 
 impossilile to reconcile .vith Protestant ideas. 
 Father Varrily said : 
 
 We have objection ar Catholics to the law m 
 a system of education excluding religion. We 
 
 have objections also, and T think I can show ob 
 pood grounds, to the manner in which tlie laW 
 IS administered, s.ay with n-gard to tlie o))serT' 
 ance of holy tlaj-s, etc. 
 
 And then lie went on to define some of tho 
 objections, in the way of e\ani]>les in the gram- 
 mars and com]X)sitions books which liy a strained 
 interpretation might be nia<le (itfensive to Kouiau 
 Catholics, but which books had long since lieeii 
 superseded. The |)olicy of tiie church a-; deliued 
 by Father Vcrrily, as regards the Sister.-, wa* 
 thus brought out : 
 
 Q. Why could yon not have the Sisters 
 teach as secularists wholly, without their dis- 
 tingnisliini,' garb, and without bringing reli'^'iou 
 into the schools, ami then have an hour or two 
 a Week, or every Saturda- and get the scliolara 
 togi'ther and teaeh all the religion you wi.-h 
 without ha\ ing all this trouble between you and 
 the Protestants with rc^rard to a law tiiut i- in- 
 tended for the general good '; A. As well as 
 I can take i'l that (juestion, I answer : \\'liy do 
 vol! put such a constraint ou my religious feel- 
 ings -or rather on the feelings of the Si>ter-i as 
 to reniiire tlielu to divest theiuselves (if their 
 ordinary dres.< in order t(^ enter into the i)ubliu 
 schotils 
 
 Q. Then the difference between you and the 
 Protestants is just as v.ide as it was .'idO years 
 ago? A, tlust as wii'.e and the divergency is 
 becoming wider. 
 
 C^, (Ju this quest:. >H of schools you say there 
 never can be any ciiange because it is a matter 
 of doctrine of your church that there will he no 
 change. A. No, We won't change our views 
 on tha'. 
 
 Q In ordt<r to have anything .approaching 
 satisfaction to you as Catholics, it would bo 
 necessary that the holy d.ays of your religion 
 should be observeil in the schools I take it? 
 A. At least for Catholic pupils and Catholic 
 teachers. The others oouhi do as they jileased. 
 
 It will thus bo seen that Father Varrily i.s 
 very i)ronounced on two im]H)rtaut contentions 
 on the .'art of Protestants, that is to say the 
 wearing of the peculiar garti by the Hi«ter and 
 the observance of holy days by the teachers and 
 pn])ils of the R, C. church . As regards the 
 peculiar garb of the Sisters, that Father N'airily 
 considers it so much "bigotry' on the ])art of 
 the Protestants to oliject to, it is rather interest- 
 ing t\> note the ditFi'reiit o])inions entertained 
 by School Trustee McManus when sume other 
 ^K!culiar garb is ivferred to. Ou page 1054 of 
 the evidence he is asked : — 
 
 Having reference to the dress of the teacher." 
 Would you be willing for an Orangeman who is 
 a teai^her in a scliool attended by lionian Catho- 
 lic ])upils to wear the Orangeman's dress and 
 regalia during the time he was teaching? A. 
 It would not be satisfactory to n;e noi- to my 
 people — I pre.sume it would not be salisfactijry 
 to them. 
 
 He (Pitts) thought it m.ade a good deal of 
 difference whose ox wa« being goreii in this 
 case. All kinds of remarks were made about 
 bigotry, cranks, and such like, when the wear- 
 ing of tlie Sisters jwculiar dress as teachers in 
 the -schools was criticised, but it was self evi- 
 r'ent there would be a "kick" at once if an 
 Orangeman shoull wear the regalia of his order. 
 In the course too, of Father Varrily 's examin- 
 ation it was shown that this Miss Ar«eneault, 
 who had had tlied'lHnilty regarding the atcend 
 
^^ 
 
 10 
 
 ¥■ 
 
 Ing of the p>iblic scliool was examined for a 
 l_oo:il lifcnsi- by .Sisti^r IJarnanl, of tlio Convent 
 Boliool. This was tlm ovi(l''ii(j(; on that jjoint :— 
 
 Q. Do vDii Unow wlio it was (Jxan)ini!(i hor 
 for tho local lircnso? A.. T understand it was 
 Sister Hiirnard, Huix'rior of tin.' Si-Jters, who was 
 authorized to do so l)y lns|)'etor .Mersureau, etc. 
 
 it Would seem more than passin:,' strauLfe if 
 these evauiinations for local '.icen,e,! w'eri! goiufj; 
 on ill the Convent hv tlic |ja(.y Sujierior. -ss, and 
 it was hardly to be woudMred at, that the Pro- 
 tesrauts liad entered a protest. It looks very 
 naieh as tliouL,di the Convent Was running tho 
 Board of Ivlucation. 
 
 Ho Would n»)t take up further, tho timo 
 nf the House, in fiuotin^f from the cvit'eno'. 
 I'ri'm what he had shown it wo\ddci'rtainly con- 
 vince any reasoualile man tiiat— 
 
 1st. ' oiiventual schools have been established 
 at I'athurst .and l-!atlun-st Villatre in tlu; inter 
 
 ests (jf 
 
 l> luian Catholic Church, tiiat rooms 
 
 Ver;> secure 1 in the Convent l)uildin,t,rs for that 
 JwriJ'Jsc and that tho ecc!(>siastical authoritiivs 
 ■were instnnii^ntal in brin-riuL,' these reliyioua 
 tea ■lier.f to liatlnirst and liathio'st V'illat,'o. 
 
 2nd. Tiiat there has been niorc than an ordin- 
 Bry interfereuce with trie pul)lic schools of 
 I?iitli!n-st arid ]^.athin-st Vill,'vf,fe by the Roman 
 C arholicpries"s,ai'.d that the:-auu' wasa j\ist uiat- 
 terof complaint on the ])art of tiu^ I'rotestants. 
 
 3r<l. That tii-- Tru.'-tees of the st;hools at tli so 
 pinc's have been derelict in their ilnty, and that 
 the Hoard of Kducation liad been rejjcatcdly 
 ))ct:?io:ied to tliat etfeut, and that the Hoard 
 nf Ivlncation was thorffore guilty of neglect 
 aii'i o[ien to censure. 
 
 4th. That it is l>eyond oontroversy that the 
 •Roman Cailioli" prayers and cateciiism were 
 taught tritliiii s.-hool hours, as well as outside of 
 thehi ii! nianv of thescliools in (iloiieester county. 
 
 orh. That the p'radin^ of the school has been 
 puch n> to make it necessary for I'rotcistant 
 childiei: to attend the convent, which is obnox- 
 t(nis to every trm' i'rotestant, aiul a contravention 
 nf the Schools I^aw, and a sufhcient reason for all 
 the au'it.ation in I'.athiu'st \'illai,'-e and town, lie 
 (Pitts) I'clic^vi'd that if the Uoni.an Catholics of 
 the province desii-ed to live on friendly terms, 
 to enjoy tin; full benefits of the grand education- 
 al system of the province, it was to their ad- 
 vanta;.(e to assist m eliminating the invisible 
 line ^^hic^l separat"(l tliese tw > large sects iu 
 the carrying on of the Free School system. If 
 Ave Were ever to bo a great country, a progres- 
 sive tiation, it was im])erativo that the people 
 pliould have every educational f.acility and 
 tiiis drawing a line and saying our children 
 phould not nii.x with yours, or your children 
 with (Mtrs, was not in tlie best interests of tho 
 country. Let all this bickering be cast aside ; 
 let all these si)ecial privileges be done away 
 with, and h't all join in working out the ideal 
 pvstt-m of educating tlie yotttli of the co\intry ; 
 then coidd all be most truly ha])py, and these 
 continual jarrings woidd be at an end. 
 
 The Protestants, not oidy at Bathurat, but 
 evyrywliere throughout the Province were dis- 
 posed to do evervtiiing to h;iv(( a satisfactory 
 W'ttlemeiit of this (piestion. He repudiated the 
 idea that tliere w a?- a de^;i^e in any quarter to keep 
 the iiuestion agitated and the peoi>le in a foment. 
 There was an honest desire for peace, and a 
 BettleniiMit of till' ditticulties, but it was all non- 
 
 sense to think that a report of a judge, or of 
 any pea-son or body of men could settle this ques- 
 tion so long as these grievances existed. 
 
 As it was now, notwithstanding tlio -assess- 
 ment for schools' was much higher than before 
 the .Sisters came, jfet the puV)lic schools were .so 
 notoriously bad that'lSe Protestants of PiatHtJrst 
 Were obliged to kee]) uj) a jirivate .school at their 
 own ex))eiiae, tiiat their cluldren might receive a 
 fair education. In the Village not only has the 
 cost ill maintaining the schooh increased, but 
 the ])iibii(! s.'iiool li.ad be^u steadily deteriorat- 
 ing and recently the male teacher had been dis- 
 missed and a female teacher eng.aged, who is 
 caid to be f^ntiroly incapable of managing the 
 scliool. Tlwn to keep u() the Convent tho 
 ethciency of this school lias been de-troyed, and 
 on the score of economv both the Town (Jram- 
 mar School and the Village High School were 
 closed entirely for a season, yet the Convent 
 schools went en. - - ,- 
 
 He (Pitts) in 1 nol: garbled or sinipiy re.aa 
 portions nf sentenc'es in tho evideiific, as sub- 
 mitted at the [nvestigation, but it would be im- 
 J'ossible iu the .-hort time at liisdisiio.ial, to read 
 longer extracts, all of which would further jirovo 
 Ids contention. The House would judge whether 
 these (!x tracts would not stand out in refutation of 
 the report of the judge, who liad ignored the sworn 
 evidence, at least not referrecl to it^to any extent. 
 
 There Were one or two things that it might as 
 well be understood by the I toman Catholics, 
 first as last, would never be conceded, and if 
 tlu^y were prejiared to insist on these, he would 
 not be respoiisiblo, or able to say where the end 
 would 1)0. It was Ijeyoud question that the 
 Protestants of this Province! would never be 
 .satisfied as long as the pulilic money went to 
 niaiiitain sectarian schools, and regardless of 
 wdiat part of the province these schools were 
 situated, or as long as public schools were main- 
 tained iu denominational buildings and directly 
 under ecclesiastical control. Again they would 
 never be satisfied as long as the Sisters of 
 Charity were allowed to obtain licenses to teivch 
 in public schools, and thus draw jiublic money 
 from the treasury and not attend Normal 
 School as the otht^r te.aehers were obliged to do, 
 or, further, while the Sisters were allowed t > 
 teach in the public schools in the peculiar garb 
 of their order. This peculiar garb was obnoxi- 
 ous to Protestan feelings, and would never be 
 tolerated where Protestant children had to at- 
 tend the schools, as much so as the Orangeman's 
 regalia appeared to be to the Roman Catholics. 
 The session of tho Legislature was getting far 
 advanced, and the matter was now before the 
 courts, and he did not feel like taking any 
 further time of the House, but ho could assure 
 the inembiTS that regardless of whether they 
 gave the Protestants of the country the juitice 
 they claimed, which they had refused before, ot 
 whether the Commissioner reported adversely, 
 or tho Courts on some technical ])oint threw out 
 their ease, there was one court, and that was tho 
 High Court of Public Opinion, the People at the 
 Ballot Box, that would in time satisfactorily 
 regulate and give the honest justice demanded. 
 All he and the petitioners wanted was the 
 Public Schools Law as enactted in 1875, shorn of 
 its obno.Tious secret regulations, an<l special 
 c^)nce8sions made to the Roman Catholic Re- 
 ligious teaeliing orders. 
 
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 Published at Rbpoktkk Oliice, Fredericton, N. B. Subscription price ?1.00 i)er year.j 
 
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