THEORY OF EVOLUTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 14

THEORY OF EVOLUTION.

PLACE IN SCHOOL SYLLABUS. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. [BY TELEGRAPH.-—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Thursday. The protest made by the Hamilton branch of the New Zealand Bible Lofgue against the teaching of evolution in schools has elicited tho following reply from the Minister of Education, the Hen. II A t more:— "I have to say that tho intention of the author of the syllabus has been misunderstood. There is no intention that the theory of evolution, in its connection with the ancestry of man, should lie taught in our schools. The subject of the theory

of evolution is highly controversial and touches the religious beliefs of a huge section of the community, nnrl for those reasons is quite unsuitable for a school

subject. "Further, I lie evidence involved m a consideration of this theory is far heyond the comprehension of the children of our schools, and therefore it is quite unlikely that teachers will extract a wrong meaning from the reference in the syllabus.

"Tho intention of the syllabus is that children should bo led by a first-hand study of nature to discover somo part, however small, of the wonderful plan of creation, gaining thereby an increased love and reverence for the Creator. "With reference to the books of Van Loon, I have to state that these works were placed in the bibliography for reference, lut the (iovernment does not in any way guarantee the correctness or other wise of the statements contained in the books m question, or any books which might contain controversial matter."