BIBLE-READING IN SCHOOLS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12283, 9 July 1914, Page 3

BIBLE-READING IN SCHOOLS.

The Rev NY A. Keav, of Auckland Coin'regationaJ Church, addressed fi meeting in St. Luke's Hall last- evenin" oii the Bibie-in-«chools question. Tliere was a large attendance, considering the uninviting weather. The Rev R. J. Porter presided. Mr Keav justified his appearance m Oamaru as an advocate of thbh'-read-\i\" in schools owing to the tact tnatbv birth, education, and experience a.'-Wiv South Welshman, where the -.system has been in existence since 18GG.' Though many changes hail taken place in the educational system of -New South Wales, no desire had been exbv the people to alter rhe religious asucci of Lite system, and no disability "was found by the teachers ot ali'phases of belief in supervising the-Bible-reading lessons. The system had done more than anything else to bring the various denominations to a common and amicable understanding. Mr Keay -aid he had exercised part of his ministrv in the State of New South \\ ales, where the utmost harmony prevailed between, the ministers of the various denominations and the school authorities. He declared that in his own personal experience lie had never met with one solitary case of friction arising out of the nracti.se of _the system. Ihe matter had been rnoroughly investigated bv Governors, Ministers of the Crown, representatives of the people, and the various school inspectors or the vast State, all of whom testified that the system was a success, that no sectarian trouble had ever arisen, and that- the visits of the clergymen to the schools, far from creating strife, are appreciated bv teachers and scholaii. Ths lecturer said he just recently came from the State of Queensland, where the system was introduced in 1910. It was "then opposed by a great number of the people's representatives and the teachers in the schools, but he (the lecturer) had personal testimony front ■the teachers who were then in opposition that in practice the disabilities they were afraid of never obtained, and' thus those who were once the opponents are now ardent supporters of the system, in an interview with the Premier of the State of Queensland (the Hon. Digby Den ham) on the Niagara at the Auckland wharf, the Premier declared that although lie was opposed to Bible-reading in schools at the beginning and voted against it at the poll, if he had the some ground to on over again he would vote for the system. The lecturer gave as his own p'ersonal opinion that the carrying ol the svstem would not wreck the national' system of education, but the non-carrying of it would ultimately bring about that end, as the various denominational bodies, such as Anglicans. Presbyterians, and Methodists, who bulked largely in the league, would be comoelled "to establish their own schools, "as they realised that the Bible hi the child life was of primal importance. A great deal had been made of the iniustice the system would impose upon the teachers of the State, and "there was a great outcry that no conscience clause had been provided for the teacher. The lecturer had first to ask. For whom did the schools exist, for the teachers or the children? The teachers were there to carry out. the wishes and will of the people, but the dictation the public was receiving from the Teachers' Institute on the question seemed very much like a case of the "tail wagging the dog. : ' Mr Keay ventured to assume that the teachers of New Zealand were not a different race to the teachers of Australia, where the system obtained in four States, And if the teachers of those States were not incommoded by the carrying out of the system it was not likely that the teachers' of this country would find the svstem an insuperable difficulty. Opportunity was given for the asking of questions and a. number were satisfactorily answered. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer.