THE DUNEDIN SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Evening Star, Issue 5589, 5 February 1881, Page 1

THE DUNEDIN SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

TO TEE XDITOB. Sir,-la the leader with whioh yon favor your readers in yesterday's Star, permit me to »ay that I think year misunderstand beih the reason and purpose of my motion respecting the application of the Freethought Association for a room in the Arthur street School* The motion which I proposed, and which, so far as affording facilities for religious instruction being given in the sofceol buildings is concerned, was carried, only baa reference to religions instruction, and does not open the door for the teaching of AgQMtioiam, Ingersollism, etc. A% I pointed oat to tne Committee, religion involved belief in, and worship of, . a Supreme Being, and religious instruction is instruction in matters concararog such Being and in human relationship to him. All that the resolution b nis the Committee t) is to afford all possible facilities for , religious instruction. Now, as the matter stands, the Committee have granted the use i of the room for a purpose of which they are j entirely ignerant. If a Chinese, Mahometan, or other religionist applied for the nee of a room the Committee and the public know what would be the character pf the teaching ,to be given, and only such parents would send their children as desired them to | receive such instruction. No person could be dtoeived in the matter, and the nature l of the teaching being known, the »oh responsibility would rest on the parent. Now, all know that the Freethonght Association disclaims being either Christum,. Jewish, Chinese, or Mahometan; and before the Committee is justified in granting them the use of a school building, 1 Jaold that they are beund, in the internets of the public, to obtain information as to the instruction to be given. It surely will not be affirmed that the Cemmittte are bound to givo the we of the buildings for any atd tvery purpose merely because it has passed a resolution pledging itself to grant thena for the purpose of religious instruction beiog giv n ion will see, therefore, that ycu are ia ewer in supposing that my motion sought to oensttt»te the Committee inb) a board to judge of theological matter » My motion eoughito elicit, f x the information of the pubfio, the kind ef instrmotion to be given ; and had that infotmation been supplied I would then have joined in voting them the ess of the buildings, leaving with the parents the responsibility of judging whether such instruction was proper to be imparted to the child en. I venture to think that both youis if and the majority of the Committee fail to grasp tine principle involved in the motion made by me. I hold that the school buildings belong to the pat pie, &ad that if other buildings are not available the people have a light to «w them for the imparting of such r<l gions instruction as the parties concerned ooasider to be beneficial. But, while I take this position, I likewise hold that the public have a right to knew that it is religious instruction, and of what kind, that is given, so that they may not send their children to such scboou ib igaerance, and thus have principles implanted in their minds to which they are opposed. It the Freethought A'soeiafcien wish the use of the tehool buildings for any ober purpose than that of imparting religious instruction I have no hesitation ia saying the Committee did not act wisely In granting the application; and if the Association cid obtain the buildings for the purpose of giving such instruction, then, surely, it is not unreasonable to aik that they should allow the public to know what is the nature cf the instruction to be given —unless it is such (which it wonld be nowise in me to suppose) as they are ashamed cf. I think yen will pee from the foregoing that I asi an advocate for the fn\l«at liberty being given to all the BubjeoiJ of the State in the use of the school buildings ; all that I contend for ia that the public have a right to know the nature of the instruction to be given, so that they may ba able to decide intelligently whether it will be to the advantage of the children to receive it or not. In not requesting this information before giving the use of the building to the Freethought Association, I consider the majority of the Committee have been guilty (unintentionally) of a failure of duty to the citizens by whom they were elected.—l as, etc M. W. Gbjbbj*. , Dnnedin, February 4.