BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Franklin Times, Volume 14, Issue 197, 30 October 1925, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

(To the Editor). Sir, —Parents should consider well the following before they record their votes at the general election next month. The position is that in the high schools and colleges in New Zealand '"which are attended mainly by the children of the prosperous classes) the Bible is read daily, without causing strife; but the present Liberal and Labour candidates for Parliament are dead against the children of the public schools being allowed to read the Bible in the schools: in fact, so bitter are the members of the Labour and Liberal (now National) parties against the. Bible lessons that they sat up all night, in the House once last session and defeated a bill (by six votes only) which would have allowed parts of Ihe Bible to be read in schools without comment, except the meaning of difficult words to be explained. It seems a disgrace to us as a British colony to allow the English Bible, one of the heritages of the British race, the fount of pure English, and which fixes the standard of our conduct, to he banned from the schools. The child' leaders in Parliament against the Bible in (lie workers' schools are men from abroad and not New Zealanders; and the Labour Party have the audacity lu-say thai-they would not allow a vote mi Ihe question: yet other countries have taken votes on the question of Bible in schools with success. It is a hardship on the workers, as.they cannot afford to send their children to

private schools where Bible reading prevails. The workers want the Bible, as votes taken in the workers' suburbs show that 75 per cent, favour the Bible in the schools. This shows how out of dale and unpopular is the "secular" platform of the Labour Party and Ihe Nationalist Party, which prevents the use of the Bible in our schools. lam amazed' at the apathy of the bulk of Ihe clergy on this—their question. Trusting all parents will vote only for candidates who favour the children being allowed lo receive some ..know-ledge of the Bible duringtheir school life and that they will turn down "secularist" candidates.— I am, etc., — "A NEW ZEALANDER." Wellington. October 22, i 925.