TO BE MAINTAINED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 3

TO BE MAINTAINED

EDUCATION SYSTEM FREE, SECULAR, „ COMPULSORY REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE. DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT.

The general effect of the Education Committee's report on religious instruction in State schools was published in the Evening Post yesterday. The Committee passed the following resolutions on the various petitions presented to it : From Professor Hunter and otheis, praying that the national system o£ education on its present free, secular, and compulsory basis be maintained : — • "That the Committee has heard evidence on the subject matter of these petitions — much latitude being allowed witnesses with the desire to get all the facts — • and is of opinion that the New Zealand State system of free, secular, and compulsory education, under which our children have received ' incalculable benefits and under which after a 37 years' experience our people — the immense majority of whom have passed through our schools— compared most favourably morally, socially, and religiously with the people of any other part of the world, should be maintained. On petitions praying that the Religious Instruction in State Schools Referendum Bill be not passed :— "Thu Committee is of opinion that the proposals in the Bill introduced by the Hon. James Allen should not be allowed to become law." "Further," says the Committee in concluding another report on the same lines, "the Committee is fully alive to the value of Biblical and religious instruction, and is of opinion that full opportunity should be given for the adoption of a voluntary system, such as that known as the Nelson system, in which the teaching ie imparted outside the statutory school hours, under which the State exercises no authority in religious matters, and under which there is no compulsion or violation of rights and conscience." Another petition was from Archbishop O'Shea and Bishop Oleary and 240& others, praying that if the petition signed by 140,000 persons, as alleged, in favour of the Religious Instruction in State Schools Referendum Bill has been presented, the same may be referred to a, Committee of the House. The Committee reported : "That as no petition signed by 140.000 persons in favour of the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill has, been presented, the Committee has no recommendation to make." MEMBERS' OPINIONS. When the report was presented the Minister of Education (Hon. James Allen) raised an objection to that section of the report of the Committee which made reference to the Nelson system. This the Chairman of the .Committee had originally ruled out as irrelevant, but had apparently allowed it to slip through later. _ Mr. \llen said he desired to express his dissent from this part of the report, because he did not think the < Nelson system was the only system suitable to the country. Mr. G. W. Russell doubted whether the report was irrelevant, as he held 'that the matter in question did come under the order of reference. He wished is express the thanks of the people of the Dominion for the magnificent stand the committee had made in the interests of the education system. That system had j gone 'through a crucial time in the last twelve months, owing to the agitation. It might have to go through the furnace again during the election, but to him it was a matter of the greatest satisfaction the Education Committee had come to the conclusion set out in the report. He hoped the effect of the report would be to smother the agitation. OTHER POINTS. Mr. D. H. Guthrie said it must not be j understood that the Committee were i unanimous in their finding. He held J that the recommendation in regard to th« Nelson system was not within the Committee's order of reference. Mr. J. B. Hine said he regretted the Committee had not adopted the referendum principle. The Committee had apparently agreed that the Nelson system was a good one, but who was to ea-y whether il woulu bt adopted? He would like to see it settled by a referendum, Mr. L. M. Isitt said he hailed with very great gratitude and gladness the i report of the Committee as a protest against an effort to force on the people a narrow, defined proposal | Mr. J. S. Dickson said that, in order to divide the House on the question, he would move that the report be referred back to the Committee. Mr. H. Atmore denounced the Government for shilly-shallying with the question; they were like Mr. Facing-both-ways. The Prim© Minister had giver, members a, lot of sleepless nights with his vacillation. Even the Minister of Education, with all his authority, dared not give a lead. Mr. A, H. Hindmarsh said it seemed very strange to hear democraoy evoked to encourage sectarianism. They all knew the Tory dodge to get people fight ing on religion. The referendum would be contrary to the constitution. They could not work a referendum and constitutional Government in New Zealand. Could anything be more absurd than expecting the public to discuss religious matters in calmness. They and University professors and teachers almost to a man were against the proposals of this Bill. On the other side they would find tha Marquis of Salisbury, * Marquis of Lansdowne, and— Mr. Atmore. (Laughter.) Mr. G. M. Thomson said there had been no polemical or party bitterness m the 'proceedings of the Committee. It could have no result except to hang up the matter if the question were referred back. The amendment to refer the report back was negatived by 46 to 17. Following was the division list :— Ayes (17)— Allen, Bollard (2), Buxton, Dickson, Guthrie, Herries, Hine, Mander, Massey. E. Newman, Noswortky, Okey, E. fl. Rhodes. Sidey, G. M. Thomson, Wilson. Noes (46).— -Anderson, Atmore, Kradney, Buchanan, Buiok, Clark, Coates, Colvm, Craigie, Davey, Dickie, Ell, Escott, Forbes, Frasei, Glover, Hanan, Harris, Herdnmn, Hindmarsh, Hunter, Isitt, M'Callum, Mac Donald. Malcolm. Millar, A. K. Newman, Ngata, Parata, Payne, Pearce, Poland, Robertson, Russell. Scott, Seddoc R W. Smith, Statham. J. C. Thomson. Veitch, Ward, Webb, Wilford, Wilkinson, Witty, Young.