BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11767, 14 October 1932, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

SECOND HEADING DEBATE IN COUNCIL. EARNEST SUPPORT BY HON. L. M, ISITT. SECTARIAN SItTMFE CONSIDERED BOGEY. - tl’iess Association.', WELLINGTON, Oct. Hi. Continuing the debate on the second reading of the Religious Instruction iu Schools Enabling-Hill tin; Hon. L. 31. lsitt said ho supported the Bill because thousands of children were living in heathenish ignorance of even simple religious rules. Parents who had not been taught religion could not be expected to pliant! on the teachings to the children. He was pleading Tor the child life of the nation. The evil effect of the secular system was cumulative. When the system was introduced, young people lived on the teachings their fathers had received, hut this process could not go on. .Magistrates had pointed to the growing evil of education without religious instruction. and he was convinced" from experience, that the ground could not be covered adequately by the Nelson system. The bogey of sectarian strife bad been raised, but there was no strife in secondary schools where religious instruction was given. Catholics,. in agreeing to the Bill, had promised not to press for State grants.

IMPOSSIBLE TO SAVE CHILDREN BY DOGMA

SLR E. BELL’S VIEW

Sir E. 801 l said the whole question was whether the spiritual aspect of the child should bo under the care of the State. It should not be part of the State to direct religious t-ruin- . ing, because it was an individual mat,ter on which no two men could ■agree. The statements made by the sponsors of the 13i 11 were a libel on children, which lie refused to believe. If children were dishonest or immoral, they could not be saved by dogma. It was a question whether characteristics could be built up by the dogma which was necessary for religious instruction. There was no doubt that .the reason why a section of the Catholics had recoiled from agreement to the Bill was because the promoters wished them to promise they .would not ask for State grants if the Bill was passed. He, as a lawyer and a politician, contended that they had a perfect right to ask lor State grants. Mil. ISITT TWITTED ON CHANGED ATTITUDE. The Hon. G. Witty said that if the measure was pased ,it would result in sectarian bitterness, which was at present entirely absent trom children. When Mr Lsitt was in the Loavct House he had opposed the Bible-in-Schools Bills, but now he did hot have to depend on the electors for votes, lie had become a supporter of the measure. i The Council then rose.