RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 107, 9 May 1938, Page 16

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

ANGLICAN PASTORAL A CALL TO THE PEOPLE (By-Telegraph—Presr Association.) : ' AUCKLAND, May 8. A' pastoral from Archbishop Averill as : Bishop of Auckland calling attention to the proposed abolition of daily voluntary religious exercises in schools • was read in all Anglican churches- of the diocese today. The pastoral, which was addressed to all- parishioners, said: "I am constrained to 'seek your, assistance in. a matter which vijally affects the spiritual Welfate of our children attending the State primary schools arid consequently -the spiritual welfare of our country. . "It is definitely and officially stated that when the Education Amendment Bill comes before Parliament the promoter of the Bill will seek Parliamentary sanction for the abolition of the right of school committees to grant the use of schools for the observance of religious exercises the actual and official opening of schools. At the present time such' observances are being conducted in. over. 400 schools of the Dominion, of which 140 are in the Auckland Province, with the permission of the various education boards* the consent of-.the school committees, and the approval of the parents. •'The system is. perfectly voluntary for. both children and teachers, and . thi school committees are quite within - their rights in granting the use of the schools f<sr such\ ; a purpose outside school hours;? inasmuch as the Ediication Act 1914, gives to " school committees the right to grant as it deems fit the use of school-buildings for the pur-' pose of moral and religious instruction outside school hours upon such terms as,the committee may from time to time prescribe. "To abolish the right of school com- : mittees which they have enjoyed since • 1877 to grant such permission and so, bring to an' end this public recognition • of Almighty God in-connection with our national system of education would ' be a most , serious £md retrograde step, offensive to the Christian conscience;

and injurious to the rhorSl and spiritual welfare of our country. . The granting of statutory opportunity for ''giving religious instruction under the Nelson system is quite separate from 1 the publi» recognition of Almighty ;■ God by xrieaiis of a short service of prayer; and praise in .connection with the daily opening of school. No ex-

tension of the opportunities for. giving religious instruction can * be' of any real value, in Jhe .majority of our • schools, arid particularly in our country schools. "tan we as Christians permit; our children to be deprived of their just rights as moral and spiritual beings without a real effort to retain for-them the opportunities which they now enjoy, opportunities which we know to be increasingly appreciated by many teachers, parents, and children? I would earnestly appeal to individuals and to congregations-to place before the Education Committee of ,the House of Representatives an urgent request that the present rights of parents and children in connection with our tnatjional system of education should be neither curtailed nor removed: In. furtherance of the protest against the proposed action, a mass meeting-of Christian people is to be, held in the Town Hall." „; *■ 1