BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 12585, 17 August 1905, Page 7

BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS

NO HOPE FOR PRIVATE LEGISLATION. MR SIDEY PREPARED TO BACK DOWN. [From Oun Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 17. Mr T. K. Sidey was prepared, if bis Dill had gone into committee, to have substituted a single issue for the decision of electors. It is understood that it would have been sought merely to obtain an affirmative answer to tire question: “Do you favor Bible-teaching by school teachers, with a conscience clause I” and so forth. At first the Bible-in-sohool* party were disposed to drop the Bill if any other issue were inserted, but Mr Sidey tells me that they would now have been satisfied if the House had divided on the test question, so that they might really know who the friends of the plebiscite are. The member for Oavefsham, however, is convinced that it is utterly impossible for any private member to successfully pilot a measure of such a contentious character. Mr Arnold made the same discovery two years ago. I was shown yesterday a pricked card which demonstrates beyond cavil that there is an absolute majority of the present House opposed to referring any such issue to the popular vote at the time of the General Election.