DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14760, 2 September 1913, Page 5

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER.

(PRESS ASSfXriATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, September 1. A deputation the Church of Euglaud, the. Presbyterian and Methodist Churches, and the Salvation Army waited on the Prime Minister today to urgo that a Bill be introduced this session providing for a referendum' at the next election ou the subject ol tho Bible-in-Sclxools., - lv re£.iy, ivir Aiassey congratulated the spouucrs ou uio cxtren,c.y nwuerate luanaer in w\uich tiiey nad t-xinessed luemsoivcs. ixo uad uaa tiie opportunity ol iioaiing tins views ol on' uiio &iue recently, and it was oiuy right aud proper aud liicmg that he.should licar tae views ot the otaer side, Tnere was oiio poiat upon umcii he was not clear. Jit. tsi.ou.d have liked to hear a suggestion uoai the deputation as to tho manner in vvuicii tue question should be put to tno electors. Tiie poiufc to him was exceedingly important. He thought tuat a very great utal depended upon i£i lie -understood one of the deputation to suggest that the Government suoukl arrange to have tiie necessary legislation passed through during /the present session. Already in tnc House and outside he had said that the Government had decided not to submit any legislation during the present session with the object of providing for a referendum on ■ the bibie-in-scnools question. "That decision, in my opinion, is not to be altered," he said. "I am not .going to commit the Government for or against any proposal that may be considered by them next cession. So far ns my own view is concerned, I ma-y tell you that, as far as I am personally con-, cerned, I am in favour of moral and religious teaching in public schools, but here is a point on which I may probably dilFer from the members of the deputation. I ormose'anything which may introduce sectarian differences and sectarian bitterness, and anything which will interfere with tho secular system of education, and you have to convince mc that what is proposed will not have that" effect, before 1 can look favourably on your .side' of tho question. .1 shall have very great pleasure in submitting your representations to my colleagues in Cabinet at the first opportunity." Canon Garland: Do you want us to say anything on the form of the question to be submitted to tho electors?, Mr Massey: Yes. Canon Garland said that the best 'answer he could give was'that in the question thero should bo. included the principle that every child should have the opportunity of reading Bible lessons,'that every child should have the right of being taught the faith of his fathers, atid.that the decision of this should be in the hands of the parents. .So long as that principle was contained in it, they would be content with the form in which the question was put. "There should," Mr Massey added, "be one question to which to put 'yes' or 'no.' " As to the question of raising a sectarian issue, it was urged that Mr Massey should write to the heads of States in which tho system has been in force, and ask what was the result in that particular respect j arid abide by their opinion.