STATE AID FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26393, 11 April 1951, Page 2

STATE AID FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

Sir,—“The Press” contains the news that a religious group is trying to obtain State aid for its educational institutions. It is hoped that the fundamental principles of education, as adopted by pur Government many years ago, will be adhered to. Education should be kept free and secular.Yours, etc., a, FIRES OF SMITHFIELD. April 10, 1981.

Sir,—ln to-day’s issue, Bishop Liston emphasised that Roman Catholics should seek a share of the £15,000,000 being expended on State education from public funds in New Zealand. Would the Bishop be prepared to run the Roman Catholic schools as are State schools, i.e., have teachers from any denomination teaching and also allow their pupils to participate in any religious teachings as do most State school pupils? 1 Woqld the Roman Cathoolic schools be controlled by the New Zealand Education Board? If not, then in my opinion, the Bishop has no right to ask for public funds to give exclusively a Roman Catholic education. Do Protestant private schools function and are they financed by the State in Spain or Italy?—Yours, etc., NEW ZEALANDER. April 10, 1951.