RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 21992, 30 March 1935, Page 24

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

VDLUKTARY HALF-HOUR WEEKLY RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT [From Our Parliamentary Reporti!*.] WELLINGTON, March 29. The introduction into State schools of a system of voluntary moral and religious instruction for one halfhour each week, as proposed hy the Recess Education Committee in 1930, was suggested to the Government by the Education Committee of the House, which this afternoon recommended _ that the Religious Instruction in Public Schools Enabling Bill, introduced by Mr H. Holland, be net allowed to proceed. The committee had no recommendation to offer on the numerous petitions presented in opposition to the measure. lu the opinion of the committee the Government should give effect to the views expressed in a section of the Recess Education Committee’s report, as follows:—“No system of religion instruction in State schools should be authorised such as will compulsorily require any State teacher to disclose his or her religious beliefs or adherence to any particular denomination, or to take part in religious exercises other than of his or her religious beliefs, or adherence to any particular denomination; or to take part in religions exercises other than of his or her own free will; but that, on the other hand, the fullest liberty should be given to those teachers who desire of their own accord to assist in the Nelson or any similar system of religious instruction, that may be authorised by law. A clause should be inserted in the Education Act providing that if accredited persons, approved by the Minister, desire to give moral and religious instruction of a voluntary nature in school buildings, the ordinary opening hour of the school shall be postponed or the ordinary closing hour in the afternoon shall be advanced on one day in each week as agreed upon for not more tha?i hall an hour to enable the instruction to be conveniently given; provided that no alteration shall be made, in the opening or closing hours which would reduce the number of hours to be devoted on that day to secular instruction to less than the minimum of four hours fixed by the Act. Congratulating the committee on its recommendation, Mr Stallworthy said the suggestion was_ a distinct advance on the present policy. It was indeed amazing that the text books should not be allowed to quote from the greatest form of literature in the world. The recommendation was regarded by Mr O’Brien as representing the thin edge of the wedge, and ho advised the House to proceed with caution on that account. Under the proposal the hours of school children would be interfered with, and the difficulties presented by the Bill itself would not be overcome. Mr Barnard said the committee was entitled to commendation for endeavouring to meet the situation, but at the same time care should be exercised. Time should be given for the country to consider the proposals before they wore adopted by the Government. , The report of the committee was tabled.