BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 15512, 6 June 1914, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

THE TEACHERS WILL HA YE NONE OF IT. The vexed question of the introduction of religious instruction into the Hate schools was again discussed by the Otago Educational institute yesterday afternoon, and the platform of the league repudiated by a vote of 52 to 7. Mr J. Moir moved —"That this meeting strongly approve of the taking of a referendum of the people of the Dominion in regard to the introduction of religious instruction into the primary schools"; and afterwards dropped this upon the institute resolving to proceed to the next busings, and substituted the following: —"That this institute strongly approve of the principle of the introduction of reliE*ous instruction into the schools on the les of the New South Wale* system."

Mr Duggan (Windsor) said it was simply a religious test. There was no part of Australasia where sectarian bitterness was more developed than in Now South Wales. The people of the United Kingdom had fought for religious liberty, and why should religion be forced upon them by a count of heads? He was an advocate of religion as long as it imposed no hardship upon his neighbor. (Applause.) Charity was supposed to be a feature of religion, but they had only to look in the newspapers to see whether the utterances of members of the Bible-in-Schools League conformed to this standard. The teachers of New Zealand had taken a broad-minded and liberal standpoint on the matter. (Applause.) Mr J. B. Grant (Ravensbourne) supported the motion. Mr Fawcett (Maori Hill) repudiated the suggestion that because the teachers did not accept the league's programme they were opposed to the Bible. Mr j.. Coutts (Anderson Bay) said the object was to break down the national system and set up a denominational system. The school committee system in New Zealand made the situation different from that in New South Wales. The speaker had, on the occasion of his applying for a certain position, received a telegTam asking him what church he belonged to and what church he attended. On another occasion there was a great fight between two parties in the committee, one supporting him and the other a Presbyterian elder. This was the sort of thing that would become common if the Bible were introduced into the schools. The Bpeaker was a strongly religious man himself, and believed in the teaching of the Bible. The system in New South Wales was not such a success as was stated. The speaker had seen instruction imparted by ministers which was merely a farce, and was calculated to foster—not » spirit-of reverence for the Bible in the minds of the children, but the reverse.

Mr J- Jeffery, formerly head master of th* Anderson Bay School, said that he had had a Bible class at hi* school, two clergymen acting as instructors. Mr Wood, the secretary of the league, had asked him for information concerning it, and he had referred that gentleman to th« ministers. Mr Wood sent him another letter, again asking for information, and stating that it might be against the interests not to supply it. But he again refund. Then Mr Wood wrote stating that if he did not supply the information he (Mr Wood) would write to the secretary of the Education Board to get it through that officer, or even to the Minister of Education himself. The ipeaker told him to do his worst. That was the sort of thing that might be expected if sectarianism were allowed to get a hold in the State schools. The motion wa» Joat, a* indicated