BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 267, 10 November 1928, Page 13

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

A REJECTED OFFER. CATHOLIC CHURCH RESOLUTIONS. At a meeting lieW yesterday, and presided over by Dr. H. W. Cleary, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, the following resolutions were adopted: —

1. "This meeting expresses its profound regret that the Bible-in-schools League cvcii still continues to' ignore the numerous offers, written and otherwise, made to them by the heads of our Church in the following or equivalent terms: (a) To meet all interested parties in. a.roundtable conference for" the restoration of religion to the State schools, on tiie basis of the equal treatment of religious consciences all round;' and (b) on that basis to agree-that the league and all denominations shall have any kind of religious exercises they like for their own "children in the State schools.

, 2. "We view with the.deepest regret the' continued presence' of the following unjust and oppressive features in the scheme to force the Government' to take up sectional church work in the schools: (a) The scheme would create an established and endowed State religion for a newly-formed privileged caste; their religion would suit only one class of religious consciences; and no alternative .scheme is offered for the various other classes of religious consciences. (b) Conscientious objectors would be forced to pay taxes for the religious exercises of the privileged caste, from which' exercises such objectors could derive no benefit. (c) The scheme, in question still clings, to the Irish proselytising, conscience clause the evil history of which has been before Parliament and the public, without contradiction or challenge for the past fourteen years., (d)' The present promoters of . liiio scheme made quite clear their former determination to drive out of. the public sorvica all objecting teachers who would acre to follow the dictates of their, conscience herein; and the conscience clause now offered was officially declared by the late Director of Education —a noted Presbyterian Church worker—to create inevitably the fact or equivalent .of a religious : test in the; appointment of teachers.

3. "We feel deeply grateful that the unjust and oppressive features of the present scheme have failed: to win the support of about two-thirds of the Protestant clergy of this' Dominion. This was- sufficiently shown by the unchallenged figures submitted to Parliament on several former and recent occasions. We also feel most grateful that a bill, containing- objectionable features of a practically identical kind, was defeated at the polls by nearly three to one, mainly by the Protestant electors of this Dominion, despite the most vehement appeals by its clerical promoters.".