BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20089, 4 May 1927, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

PLEBISCITE OF PARENTS. the proposed voting paper. (Special to Daili Times.) WELLINGTON, May 3. The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) stated to-day, in reference to several resolutions passed at school committee meetings last night, that ne did not intend, when interviewed on Saturday on the subject of the voting paper prepared by the Bible-m-Schools League for submission to parents, to convey the impression that it had been repiesented to him that the head masters might object to the paper, and that he had, therefore, given his consent to its lorm. “ 1 know nothing about any objection by the head masters,” said Mr Wright. 1 know that the head masters of every primary school are engaged by the education boards, and can be dismissed by the education boards without myself or the department being consulted, therefore, obviously, it would be useless for me to try to influence a head master in any direction, and I have no intention of doing so. , , , “ To reconcile what happened between the Hon. Mr Isitt and myself,” added the Minister, “ I may say that he simply asked me if I would read the proposed ballot paper, which I did, and if 1 had any objection to it. I said that so far as I could see there was nothing objectionable in it, but that the question of taking a plebiscite amongst the parents of the children attending the schools was one that rested entirely with the education boards, which had statutory powers that were invulnerable.” The proposed voting paper referred to by Mr Wright is as follows; —“Parents’ vote on religious exercises in schools. This voting papers is approved by the Minister of Education. Are you willing that on four days a week not more than the first 15 minutes be spent in singing a hymn, joining in the Lord’s Prayer, and the reading of a passage from the Bible, no religious comment or teaching being permitted? The Hymnal and Bible Manual to be compiled by representatives of the various churches in conjunction with the Education Department. “ Conscience Clause.— (1) Any parents not wishing their children to attend theke exercises are simply to notify the head master of their wish. (2) Any teacher wishing exemption to notify his committee, and other provision will be made. VVote here . Answer ‘Yes,’ ‘No.’ Signature and address. “ Instructions to Voter. —Strike out the word ‘No’ if you are in favour of the exercises being established in your school. Strike out the word ‘ Yes ’ if you are against them being established, and sign your name and address on the dotted lines. Only one person can vote for each family, such person being the father or the mother, or the guardian of the child, or children, attending school. No voter must make comment on this voting from. The vote must be simply ‘ Yes ’ or ‘ No.’ Voters will materially assist by voting and posting their vote in the accompanying envelope as speedily as possible. “Remember, many may want more, but it is this or nothing."