BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4846, 18 April 1918, Page 6

BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—At the .annual meeting of the N.Z. Educational Institute held in Wellington in January last, the following words were used m the statement prepared by the executive:—“lt is difficult to see 'any adequate reason for' the movement (for denominational schools). It cannot he the desire to spread the light of religious teaching among the masses of the people, s j nce U*e churches have, except in isolated instances, refused and still refuse to make use of the opportunities for this work that the Education Act allows.” The Educational Inst.tute assumes, and rightly so, that the Education Act allo.ws opportunit es for religious instruction. but. it may not be aware of the difficulties that School Committees frequently put in the way of such work, making it impossible or very unsatisfactory. We have been specially fortunate in recent years in onr School Committees in Gisborne, Mangapapa, and Kaiti in this respect; the only committee that has refused to recognise the permission which the Education Act gives being the Te Hapara comnvttee; but we hope that this committee will not continue to reject a reasonable request which the Education Act permits, for it is such action that supplies some of the strong arguments for the establishment of denominational schools.—l am, etc., F. W. CTJATHERTON, Secretary State School Bible Classes.