BIBLE - READING IN SCOOLS

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 26

BIBLE - READING IN SCOOLS

The. sub-eommitt«e of the recent Bible-. in-Sohook Conference in Wellington having, it is understood, "submitted to the Eight Hon. the Premier the Echeme of Bible lesson* approved by it, the R&v. Dr Gibb (chairman of tlie conference) lias addressed a letter to Mr Seddon giving him the information promised aa to the results of the reosnib tdebiacites taken in various parts of tk» colony. Tho results of there plebiscites have been «Jreaxly published by us, and need not bo repeated. They weYo taken in Duiw?din, Taieri, Waikouaiti, Cavcral'Am, Clufclw. Mataura. Southland County, Palmwston N T orth, Waunato. Timaru, and Parnell (Auckland). Dr G-ibb subniits that the returns are exceedingly impressive. It is not intended to suggest that they have th« value of a plebiscite taken, by the Government. Except in the case of Waikouaiti the plebiscite papers were not distributed according to tho electoral boundan&3, and ih(sre>foro a comparison coruiot be made between the pk'bisoite votes and the voters on the electoral roll 3. In Waiko\tai'ti the ground covered wai that of the eleoborate as it was at the election of 1899. At that election there were polled 3166 votes. Tli© number who signed the plebiscite sheet was 2972, and tJvere were 2585 in favour of Bible lessons in the schools. Dr Gibb says those who are leading in the campaign have no doubt that similar results could have been secured in almost? every district in Now Zealand, and there is evidently a very decided wish entertained by a vast body of electors that they should hay& a direct opportunity of saying what they do really want in this matter. Dr Gibb enclose* a copy of the plebiscite form and also a cony of the question submitted ta candidates for Perlia/menib a-b the lasta ekction, when tho great majority promised to support a referendum on the Biblo-in-schools question. Dr Gibh has also forwarded certain suggestions adopted by the conference in. 'Wellington aa to the way in ivihioh the electors should be consrilfced. These hav«l already appeared more tLan once. Whafc is desired is "that teachers maay give simple, literary, historical, and ethical explanations. That there shall be a conscience clause, to this effect : ' Teachera wlio object to give these lessons shall not be required to do so; and tho children of parents wlno object shall not be required to attend.' "

Nealy the whole town of Pisagua, Ohdlr, has been destroyed by fire.