BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1932, Page 2

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

DEBATE in council

VIEWS OF OPPONENTS,

WELLINGTON, October 12

In moving the second, reading of the (Religious Instruction in Schools Enabling Bill in the Legislative Council tide afternoon, the Hon. Sir James Alien said the measure was sponsored by eight Churches, which represented -a vast Majority of tli*. people in New 2eal«|. These people had a right to say that their children should receive religijrtjs instruction in the schoolthe attitifcle of- a considerable section of (Roman Catholics towards the Bill had changed in recent years, -as they realised that the secular deification- system was a jpenace not orJy to the comuuuidy but also to the Catholic, religion. A majority of the Catholic hierarchy wc'js •in favour of the measure. The BLI did not eliminate thy NeLon system, but it was, maintained tha.j. the Noiceru system : had. failed. In 1920 there were only 20,000 children out of 230,000 receiving' instruction under thy Ne’-son system. ’ The Hon. It. Masters: There are ,58,800 to-day.

Sir James Alien said there was a growing "desire for pubUc gatherings to be open'd by prayer, and surely .that principle should be extended to itho schools, lb© reading o£ the Bible

was (valuable from a literary as well as an educational point of view, and there was no doubt- that religious teaching was needed to combat the growing materialism.

STATE SHOULD BE NEUTRAL. The Hon. J. A. Hamm said the Bill aimed a death blow at thy secular feature of the education system. It w,l ° thy 'duty of the State to remain neutral in matters of religion. The only fair way to decide the. question whether they should retain tlu secular r.V'teni of education was by a .referendum. A** though teachers who objected to gi’A* mdigious instruction were exempted

there was no doubt they would he earmarked and would suffer accoi d.nglv • The- real place for religious instruction was at the mother’s knoe, ( lnyause sound religious teaching should he given in a .proper atnio-pliere. (I the Bill wne passed >t would open the way for giants to private schools of all denominations, and the promoters of the Bill should contemplate the consequences <»»' tlit’ir actions. Now Zealand children trained j under the secular system were equal m intelligence and moral churac'er to any other . children in th e world, and the ”conduct of our soldiers had been a tfurther vindication of the success of the system.

amendment to be moved. Tlie Hon. D. Buddo -said he was in favour of the Bible being read >n

schools from a literary point of view, but- considered that religious instruction would breed dissension amongst the people. In the Committee stage he would move to have the- provisions of the Bill narrowed down to provide for BUd-e reading only.