BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 19924, 21 July 1928, Page 2

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

BISHOP'S STATEMENT ON EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAD MINDS MADE UP (.Pan United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 20. Mr Hudson (Motueka) asked the Minister of Education in the House of Representatives if his attention had been drawn to statements by the Bishop of Nelson in referring to the evidence given last session before the Education Committee of the House in regard to the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill—-that the members ol the committee had made up their minds on the subject before they heard the evidence, and that the report of the committee was brought up in the absence of three of the members; and if he considered that there was justification for tho deductions arrived at by His Lordship. The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) replied that his attention had been drawn to the statement referred to.

Mr Speaker: “It appears to me that this is a matter bordering on breach of privilege. It is a rather serious thing for anyone to allege that the minds of members were made up before hearing the evidence.” Mr Wright said the statement was correct in that nearly all the members were pledged at last election. Mr Hudson: “It might be correct.” The Minister agreed, and said that, so far as those who supported the views of the Bishop of Nelson on the question were concerned, it would be correct to say that members’ minds were made up. They were pledged; but so far as the' Education Committee was concerned he was quite satisfied that the members gave very careful and painstaking consideration to the evidence, to see if there was anything in it which would cause them to alter their opinions. The report had been drawn up in the absence of three of the members, two “ noes ” and one “aye.” So far as he was able to judge the absence nl these members made no difference. He felt sure that if any of the absent members bad asked for a delay the chairman of the committee would have invited the committee to bold over its report, He was afraid the Bishop had nuite unconsciously drawn n wrong deduction from something which had appeared in the papers.