WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

BIBLE IX SCHOOLS. MAJORITY EDUCATION COMMLTTEE OPPOSE. (Special to “ Guardian.”) I WELLINGTON, Oct. 27. The event of the week in the House of Representatives has been the presentation of the report of the Education Committee upon the Religious Exercises in Schools Hill, which has been the subject of more or less heated controversy since the opening ol Parliament four months ago. T7ie C ommittee. by a majority ol five to two. expressed the opinion cl. that the New Zealand system of free, -secular and compulsory education should he maintained, and (2) that full opportunity should he given for the adoption ol a voluntary system of religious instruction. This both in language and purport, is practically the view expressed I, v the Education Committee in Bill, thirteen years ago. when Sir .lames Allen fathered a similar assault upon the Dominion’s secular system of teaching. Mr H. Holland, the Hon. L. M. Isitt’s successor in the Representation of Christchurch North in the House and the nominal promoter of the Bill, claimed that had all the members of the Committee been present when the division was taken a tie would have left the linnl decision m the hands of a chairman not unlavourabl.v disposed towards the Bill, but he did not explain the absence ol the missing votes. . WHAT NEXT?

Of course there is nothing, save the Prime Minister’s veto, to prevent Mr 11. Holland and his allies continuing their attempt to carry the Bill through the House. If the claim of the member for Christchurch North concerning the division of the committee is well founded it will he surprising if the supporters of the Bill do not put the question to the test of numbers. Hu the other hand, there is a story about to the effect that the ‘Prime M mister does not wish to carry the matter to a division which might seriously embarrass some of the members of his party and possibly himself. The Hon. L. M. Isitf claims that forty of the Uelorm members of the House are pledged to the Bill, hut he is not quite sure that in the face of the committee's report they are anxious to profess their faith. What will happen next depends largely upon tne arrangement ol the Order Paper which rests in the hands of the Prime Minister. It has heeu stated that Mr Coates is pledged to support the substance of the Bill, hut this is

scarcely correct. So far he is commit ted only to giving it " a fair run.” JUVENILE MORALITY.

Meanwhile the leader of the Legislative Council. Sir Erancis Bell, and other stalwarts of " the other place,’ have been taking strong exception to the suggestion promulated by the Hon. L. M. Isitt and others to the (dice! that the intrfiduction of Bible reading; to the schools is necessary to stay a great wave of moral deterioration throughout the Dominion. Sir I'rancis protested against the attempts that were being made to create an impression that the population of New Zealand was a criminal class. The Hon. I. A. Hanan objected strongly to an: member of the Conned '‘attempting ti vilify, defame and traduce the young people of the Dominion.” “\\hero did the Australian newspapers get their idea that crime was rampant among the youth of New Zealand.” asked Sir Robert Stout. ” They got it,” ho declared in answer to his own question, •‘from those whom in order to gel th<• i ■ religious creed taught by the State, have for many months been agitating for the,granting of Government money for the teaching of their religion, and have been stating that we are in a parlous state so far as the morals of the children are concerned.” A motion by Sir Robert asking for official papers on tlm subiect was carried on the voices. POST AND TELEGRAPH Bil.L. The Post and Telegraph Bill, which came up for its second reading yesterday, encountered a good deal ol criticism from various quarters and on the suggestion of Sir Joseph Ward was ultimately referred to the Public Accounts Committee with the certainty ol being thoroughly over-hauled before it again makes its appearance in the House. One of its clauses which came in for a good deal of adverse criticism, provides that the appointment of officers to the Department at salaries exceeding C 705 per annum shall lie made bv the Governor-General, which means, of course, in this, instance, by 11 is Excellency’s advisers. This, Mr 11. E. Holland, the leader of the Opposition. declared, was the beginning of political control and at once would place all the appointments and promolinns in the higher grades in the hands of the Minister concerned. Sir .Joseph Ward insisted that the Bill contained most revolutionary provisions and never should have been sprung on the I lons - at such a late stage of the session. The Prime Minister was affable and conciliatory and quite ready to let tlm Bill go on to the Public Accounts Committee. On this understanding it received its second reading and was put out ol the way for a season.