EDUCATION BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 139, 15 June 1938, Page 20

EDUCATION BILL.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES. DIOCESAN MEN'S VIEWS. Appreciation ef the proposal in the Education Amendment Bill to extend facilities for religions instruction under the Nelson system was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland Diocesan Churchmen's Association held in St. Matthew's Hall, lust evening, but the association viewed with concern the possible abolition of the daily opening religious observances in the State primary schools. A long resolution was carried, in which it was stated that when the Education Act of 1877 was passed it was clearly intended and understood bv the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council that provision should be made for daily opening observances. Further, the Act of I!»14 indicated the right of the school committee to grant, as it thought fit. the use of the school buildings for the purpose of moral and religious instruction. "We affirm that in view of these provisions there lias l>een no infringement, either of the letter or spirit of the law. on the part of school committees in grunting such facilities." it was state.l. "If the authority conferred upon education boards to define the hours of opening and closing public schools permits the shortening of the school day by half an hour for the purposes of the Nelson system, it gives a similar permission for such shortening of hours as is necessary for the live-minute daily observances. The Nelson system can never be regarded as completely satisfactory." Experience had shown that the operation of both was widely approved, and if the sponsors of the bill • were not prepared to grant full facilities the questions should be the subject of a referendum. It was decided to place the association's views before the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, and the clerk of the Education Committee.

To say that anyone has been '"pressed into the service" recalls the time when the Army and Navy were recruited bymeans of conscription. The officials who went round to "press," or compel men to join, were called the "prees-gang."