BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS BILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 30 September 1927, Page 7

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS BILL

ROMAN CATHOLIC OPPOSITION.

Wellington, Sept. 29Bishop Cleary in a lengthy statement before the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church against the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill, said that Roman Catholics adhered to the belief that education was training the intellect, will and emotional nature in preparation for a complete living. Such convictions had been shared by many people, who were not Catholics. Roman Catholics, therefore, would never accept anywhere a purely secular system, which shut out from the child, at the most impressionable age, the highest form of knowledge obtainable through religion. The secular system gave the people the choice between Christ and Herbert Spencer, “and we have chosen Christ.”

The Roman Catholics were denied equal rights and were opposed to a State Church, which could only be sectional. They could never conscientiously contribute to taxation for a public endowment of a form of established religion from which /they could obtain no benefits. If public moneys should obe expended on religious exercises suited to the Protestant conscience in the State Schools, then Roman Catholics would do all possible to secure a share of such funds for the conducting of religious. exercises suited to the Catholic conscience in those same State schools.

Replying to questions, Bishop Cleary said ho object to a plebiscite on the question oi religion or conscience. Roman Catholics could not accept any teachers of religion but their own. The Nelson system, though not perfect, in his opinion was far ahead of any Bible in Schools Bill yet proposed. The committee adjourned until Tuesday.