BISHOP'S STATEMENT CONSIDERED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20272, 25 June 1931, Page 8

BISHOP'S STATEMENT CONSIDERED.

REPLY ISSUED BY LEAGUE SUB-COMMITTEE. (PEB9B 4.BSOCUTIO!? TKJEOKAK.^ WELLINGTON", June 24. A sub-committee of the New Zealand Bible-in-Schools' League executive considered in Wellington to-day Bishop Brodic's disclaimer of any agreement between the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and the League, and approved the statement which was issued by the secretary, the Eev. E. O. Blamires, last night through the Press Association, quoting official acceptance of the Leaguo'a proposals by the Hierarchy. The committee states: — "Only one letter has previously come to the secretary from Bishop Brodie, dated June, 1930, and it acknowledged tho receipt of copy of a circular letter and paper. Its closing message is: 'As I understand his Grace Archbishop O'Shea will reply on behalf of the Hierarchy, it will not be necessary to comment on the circular, of which you sent mc a copy.' "A continuous correspondence was carried on last year, however, with the Archbishop. He has been the recipient of all the official correspondence, and from him all official communications from tho Hierarchy have been received by the League. If, therefore, any withdrawal from tho position taken tip last year by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy had been decided on, it would have been notified to the official secretary of the League by the official representative of the Hierarchy. But as no word of any such position had ever been mentioned by Archbishop O'Shea (although a letter was received from him by the same mail as that which brought the letter from Bishop Brodie), no official notice can at present be taken by tho executive with relation to Bishop Brodie's interpretation. It will be necessary to await an official communication from Archbishop O'Shea. "From the standpoint of the League, the present position is quite definite. There has been no suggestion of any withdrawal by the League, nor any hint of the kind from Archbishop O'Shea; and consequently the League's official letter of April 14th, 1930, conveying definite proposals, the Hierarchy's acceptance of the proposals on May 12th, 1930, and the League's acknowledgment of that acceptance In a letter of May 21st, 1930, remain unaltered. "A t general statement of the position was issued to the Press on July 24th for the Roman Catholic Bishops by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, and for the League by the Dominion executive. These were quite independent statements, and harmonised in essential points. These statement* stand as official reports of the agreement."