SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 127, 30 May 1914, Page 3

SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING A meeting of the executive of the National Schools Defence League was held last evening. Pastor Meyers occupied the chair. In the course of a report the committee said that the Defence League was opposed to a referendum being taken on a religious issue, because it saw in all history the condemnation of such a proposal. " All religious persecution has been persecution of a minority by a majority, continues the report. " Such a policy places votes above conscience, and is condemned most strongly by the very Book under whose a3gis this attack on the schools is being made. A democracy that is founded on justice adopts majority rule in social 'and political affairs, but it faithfully respects the rights of the individual in private matters of conscience such as religion. Majority rule in matters of religion means religious persecution. Might is proclaimed as right. Under the so-called right of entry the worst form of sectarianism will be forced upon our schools. Such a policy will not only seriously interfere with the school work, more particularly in small schools, but it will divide where the State's obvious duty is to unite. It is, then, to these most unfair proposals— -the application of tho referendum to a religious issue, the coercion of the consciences of teachers, the financial injustice to the minority, the introduction of sectarianism into the schools— and not to the Bible, that this Defence League has been, is, and always will he, opposed. We have already said, and we repeat ifT:_ that the league will offer no opposition to a purely voluntary system such as the Nelson system, provided that the State (i.e., all the people) is not called upon to pay for the teaching of tho religious beliefs of some of the people." It was announced that the Rev. T. A. Williams, organiser of the league, will arrive in Wellington to open the defence campaign on 16th June.

Messrs. Baldwin and R-ayward, patent attorneys, of 215, Lambton-quay, Wellington, New Zealand, report that they have filed the following applications for patent of New Zealand recently :—: — W. E. and W. G. P. Marsh, Claremont, \V. Aust., Rotary lawn sprinkler; C. Yon Bibra, Elsternwich, Victoria, school, etc., combination desk and seat; P. 151. Domone, Palmerston Noith, impiovements in the treatment of flax and other fibrous plants; C. R. Trinder, Chrislchurch, improvements in appliances foi usp in connection with saucepans; G. Grilhe, Paiis, Franco, improvements in or l elating to valveless pumps for producing a vacuum ; A. D. Wiseman, Sydney, N.S.W., improvements in tongueless clamp buckles ; 15. M. Mathias, Edwardstown, Australia, an impioved junction plate and detachable joint for bedsteads, furniture, and the like; J. A. Heskett, Waihi, improvements in the treatment of ironsand preparatory to smelting. — Advt. At a meeting of Court Sir Georgo Bowen, A.0.P., on Monday nominations foi' the various offices will be takou.