RELIGIOUS EXERCISES IN SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 35

RELIGIOUS EXERCISES IN SCHOOLS.

A ROMAN CATHOLIC PROTEST. BLENHEIM, July 25. The following resolution was passed at a largely attended meeting of Roman Catholics last night:— “This meeting of Roman Catholics of the Blenheim parish and representative of the Roman Catholic community of Marlborough protests strongly against the provisions of the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill on the grounds: “(1) That the Bill, if carried into law, would inflict a grave injustice on the Roman Catholics of New Zealand, since it would require them to contribute to the maintenance of religious instruction which is manifestly dei.ominational and tantamount to the creation of State religion. “(2) That such a departure would be a most inequitable violation of the rights of Roman Catholics as eitizei s and taxpayers.

“(3) That the Bill violates the rights of conscience as applied to Roman Catholic pupils and teachers to State schools notwithstanding the misnamed conscience clause.

“This meeting, representing more than one-fifth of the electors of the district, requests their representative in Parliament to consider their studied convictions.”