OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12250, 23 September 1925, Page 7

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

SCHOOL TEACHER’S APPLICATION' “NO RECOMMENDATION.” In the House of Representatives the Education Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make upon the petition of Alfred William Page praying for reinstatement as a school teacher. Mr Howard said the petitioner had been a teacher at the Boys’ High School in Christchurch, and when required to take the oath of allegiance he would not do so without the qualification that it was not to conflict with what he considered his duty to God. 1 Under the law he could not be allowed to do that, so he was discharged from the service. Petitioner was one of the most promising young men that had been turned out frpm the eollege, and he had spent a good deni of money in qualifying himself for the position of a teacher. It was a pity that the State should lose the services of such a promising young man for a thing like this. On the other hand, it might be Held that the oath should not be altered to suit one mnn out of one and a quarter million. Even if Mr Howard agreed to that he must consider thac there were instances where one man was right and the others were wrong. Some day thp State would awaken to the meaning of conscience, and would make provision tor such people who were so religious that they required a qualification of the oath. He was saying nothing against the Minister or the finding of the committee, as he could see that the. Minister was up against a difficult problem. The Minister had tried to meet the case by permitting petitioner to put his qualification underneath his name, and also that petitioner should write a letter to the Minister stating that he did not consider he had taken the oath with the qualification submitted, hut the department. would not permit that the qualification should go above the name. Mr Tsitt, while agreeing with what had been •aid about the virtues of the young man, thought that it would he almost impossible to do wliat the member for Christchurch South wanted done. With n qualification the oath would he no oath of allegiance at all. The report was agreed to.