THE GOVERNMENT BILL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1914, Page 8

THE GOVERNMENT BILL

QUESTION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS. The Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill, which/ is in charge of the Minister of Education (Hon. J. Allen), was circulated this morning. It proposes that, at the next Parliamentary election poll, the question shall be submitted to the electors. The voting paper will read asunder : — "Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Scheme of Instruction. Provision to be made for the reading in public schools, within school hours, of selected Bible lessons from a residing book to be provided by the Education Department; such reading to be conducted under the supervision of the public school teachers, but no sectarian teaching to be allowed. Provision to be made Tor religious instruction to be given within school hours to children by a minister of their own denomination, or by an accredited substitute. Any parent to have the right, if he chooses to do so, to withdraw his child from the Bible-reading, or from the religions instruction, or from both." The issue will be put as follows :—: — " I vote in favour of the above system." "• 4 I vote against the above system." Th& Bill goes on to provide that, as soon as the Minister, hasj from the Returning Officers, received a statement of the results of the polling, he must publish the results in the Gazette, and those results must be laid before Parliament on tho first day of the session of 1915..

The Young Men's Christian Association will entertain tho Rev. J. D. Jones, M.A., D. r>.,,,at a luncheon oh Tuesday next, at 1 o'clock, in tho V.M.C.A. rooms. The object is to giye business men^t/in opportunity of meeting the R«v, J, jD. Jones.