BISHOP AVERILL'S VIEWS.

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

BISHOP AVERILL'S VIEWS.

" HEARTILY IN FAVOUR." REFERENDUM INEVITABLE. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, September 1. "I have never been in favour of any previous attempt to have religious teach 7 ing in schoolsj," declared the new Bislibp of Auckland (Bishop Averill) this evening, when approached, by y0.ur.... representative for<his views on this subject. "But," he continued, "I am in favour of the present platform of tho Bible-in-State-Schools League, because it seems to mc to be absolutely fair to every denomination and ■ to all concerned." Previous proposals, said tho Bishop, had been open to serious objection because they seemed unfair to Roman Catholics on the one hand and unfair to the State on the other. The platform how advocated seemed free from these defects, because it did riot require teachers'to teach religion, and it did not require the State to father any particular, religious system. The Roman Catholics were fairly treated, because every denomination,- would have equal rights and would be able to send its own ministers into the schools to teach the children the faith of their fathers. Tho State was fairly treated because no State religion was asked, but merely that teachers should supervise reading "lessons taken out of the Bible, instead of out of the ordinary reading books, and it was fair to teachers because they wore not" required to teach religion, but merely to see that the children understood the" lessons as well as they understood any other reading lessons. "ABSOLUTELY JUST." ■ "On these three grounds, therefore," said his Lordship, "it seems to mc that the thing is absolutely just. I further ■support the proposed change because religious teaching was never put out of the schools by the expressed wish of the people, and the various movements since then have shown that there is a widespread desire for religious teaching to be restored." Tho system proposed, he continued, had been in operation in Australia—in New South Wales —since 1866, and tho testimony of experience was that there was no friction between teachers and parents or between teachers and ministers, that the teaching was of undoubted value to the tone of the schools and the children, and that close friendships ensued between teachers and the visiting clergy. Experience also showed that the difficulties predicted before the introduction of the scheme did not exist when it was put into actual practice. "Again, I am in favour of the proposed change, because no "system of education can be • a real education which includes only one part of a child's nature. It is absolutely necessary, it seems to me*, if our educational system is to give a scientific and philosophic education, that, we must not divide a child into two distinct parts, and say that one part can be educated in one place and another part in another place. We must have a system m which the whole/faculties of the child can be developed at the came time, otherwise we shall bp making a dualism where there ought only to be nnity. POLICY NOT PRINCIPLE. "With regard to the teachers," declared Bishop Averill,' "in spite of what has been said, I do not think there is any general feeling amongst them against the Bible, or -against Bible teaching in schools Some teachers have declared to wne that they would welcome the right of entry of the clercry." ■ The real difficulty was that teachers had the idea that if the system were introduced, difficulties might be created between the boards and committees and themselves. Generally epeaking, the difficulties of many teachers would .be removed if the whole system were centralised, instead of being administered by boards/, as at present. The public aid not understand that that was' why the - teachers opposed the scheme in eotne measure; it Tvas. from the .point-of view of policy rather than from principle on their part. Personally, he had always found teachers exceedingly sympathetic to- * wards the proposed change. The diffi-

culty about the overcrowded syllabus was easily removed. An extra subject was not asked for. merely that the roadiim of the Bible should be substituted for that of the ordinary readiugbook. ' " REFERENDUM INEVITABLE. In his opinion, said Dr. Averill, this agitation 'would never cease till the people of New Zealand hnd been given an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon it. Pie could not hefp feeling that those who opposed the referendum were acting in a very undemocratic way. The country processed to be democratic, and if any largo number of people expressed the' opinion that a referendum should betaken on a vital subject, then it seemed to him to be tho duty of any Government to grant the reoues't. * In this ca-so thero were over lll.COO'clectors—, for every name had been checked-• who had signed the request for a refererdum avd many niorb thousands conld easily bo secured. "I was glad, to hear," said Bishop Avenll. • "Mr Massey declare to-day that ho was in favour of moral and religious teaching in the schools, ard I have not very much doubt that when Cabinet considers the number of voters? behind this movement, they will deem ! it "prudent ard wise to grant the re-! quest for a referendum." SAFEGUARDING CONSCIENCES. •'Wo are most anxious," said the Bishop in conclusion, "to bo absolutely fair to everybody, to all religious denominations, and to members of_. no religious denominations at all, ard therefore one of the points on which we most strongly insist is the conscience clause for tho parents, so that no parent need have his child taught jn any way differently from what he is taught at the present time. "But wo come to this position. People talk about tho oppression of the consciences of the minority. But what about the oppression of the consciences of tho majority which obtain under our present educational system? Wo believe that the majority of the people- of this Dominion want Bible teaching in schools, so that under the present system conscientious beliefs are beirg violated. What we want is a change so that those who wish it may havo their children taught scrip turo lessons, but at the same time we don't wart to compel anybody to have their children taught if they conscientiously object. "That is a fair position to take up," declared the Bishop finally, "and it is' because tho programme of this present agitation is so fair that I support it as heartily as I do."