MINISTER'S VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 109, 11 May 1938, Page 9

MINISTER'S VIEW

BREACH OF LAW

SOLUTION TO BE SOUGHT

With reierence to the Question , of religious instruction in schools, the Minister ot Education (the Hon; P. Ixaser) has sent the following letter to the Rev. J. Handy, of St. John's Methodist Church, Ponsonby, Auckiand:— "Please accept my sincere thanks for your telegram requesting me >to furnish you with facts concerning the proposed submission to Parliament of the question of religious exercises : in the State primary schools at present being ciarried on under arrangement between education boards and , school committees, but for which no provision is made in the education system of the Dominion, which, by law, provides in sub-section 4 of section 56 of "the Education Act, 1914, that 'the teaching shall be entirely of a secular nature." In view of the decision of Parliament in 1877, and on many subsequent occasions, I am forced to the conclusion that the religious exercises in practice under the arrangement mentioned dft impinge on the secular system* of education and are contrary to the Repeatedly expressed decisions of Parliament ' "While I have evidence of many citizens agreeing with my opinion, the Bible-in-Schools League and many devoted members of various churches take an opposite point of view,. There is a distinct and honest difference; of opinion. This is a state of affairs most unsatisfactory alike to sincere supporters of the secular' system and to the equally sincere advocates' of religious ;exercises in schools, whtf, I am sure, have ino desire,, knowingly or unknowingly, to act contrary, to the decisions of the representatives of ihe people, in, Parliament:. . / » ; M £a the circumstances, I announfcpd that' I'propose to subtait the master in dispute to Parliament, expressing the belief at th«; same time that .th# extension of the statutory recognition, for tKe'first time, of the Nelson system ■ of religious' instruction as provided in .'clause- 39. oit the. Education Amendment Bill, would provide adequate opporturiity for those who earnestly wished to undertake the work of -providing such instruction for the children .J' "There did not. appear to me tojbe any sound objection to this democratic course. . In view, however; of the fact that the proposed action is likely >to le&d to bitter and prolonged controversy, which cannot but prove inimical to the interests of education and religion alike, and confuse and even ,obscure : the issues connected with the important educational;reforms which are Its .main provisions, I propose; to . recommend to. the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, ■ and,* subsequently, to: the Government, that consideration of clause 39 of the Bill be postponed and that an effort; be made to arrange consultations with Representatives of churches, and other organisations interested* with a view-to endeavouring to: strive at a solution which may prove acceptable to those most ifitimatay concerned as wellias, to theParliamentand the people ;of 1 New Zealand." -