THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS QUESTION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12392, 7 December 1914, Page 1

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS QUESTION.

.To the Editor. Sir, —Your correspondent calling himself "Fail-play" now mildly announces that he merely criticised the answer of Mr Francis to what must evidently have been a catch question on the referendum on the Bible in schools. If he takes the trouble to read his original letter he will find that lie there warns the electors of a matter possessing "the greatest elements of danger." The national debt, the,land question, the defence of our country by a lecal or subsidised navy is nothing, compared to the "dire results" of giving the people of New Zealand the ricjht oj saying by a. referendum whether they can have "rending lessons" from the best Book in the world —the Bible—these lesson books having been adopted by four of the adjoining States in the Commonwealth with'thehappiest results, the Queensland■ refefr- = endum having been as late as IMO. Their leading statesmen pronounce it. a decided success.. Should the people be given the right of deciding the question, as they have ! eyety :ught''vty-;de-mand. especially in a democratic country, it would, need to express'.the de- . c-ided wishes of tin; great -majority- of : the electors. It is,merely begging the question and trying to belittle an honorable man undercover of a nom-de plume. To talk of 50 -people.ruling 49, as this is merely hair-splittingv -as-he : nor anyone Hse Wantsi. 'anything but to have the matter decided-in a straight and honorable' way. If "Fail-play" thinks it, faii-play to call an honorable , man on suc-b a flimsy pretence a '"selfseeking politician." "outside the pb'le -of statesmanship" and of the confidence of those who seek th« highest interests of the country," a'nd make; these statements under cover, he will hardly find anyone of the same euinion but himself. In conclusion, although bavins; no liking for notoriety, in fairness to your paper and thos<» whose characters are impugned, I would suggest that all future letters on the subject be over the signature of the writer. —I am, etc., -v.- PARENT.