Patea & Waverley Press. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1914. Religious Instruction Referendum.

Patea Mail, Volume XXXIX, 3 July 1914, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1914. Religious Instruction Referendum.

Ir will we think be generally con. ceded even by the opponents to the Bible in schools Scheme, that the time has arrived when the whole of the present system of education should be romod-lied with a vlev to instilling into the minds of the children the fact that after all it is not the passing of examinations that makes for the best citizen, but the character of the individual units which go to make up the country’s population. The advocates of the Bible in Schools movement are deserving of the thanks of the community for calling marked attention to the need for a change in the present education system. That their efforts have carried weight is shown by the Bible in Schools Referendum Bill which was recently introduced in Parliament by the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Education The measure, which contains but six clauses, provides for a poll being taken at the first General Election of members of the House of Representatives after the commencement of the Act. The poll is to be taken in every district not. withstanding that in any district, no poll may bo required for the election of a member to the House of Representatives. As soon as practi. cable after the result of the referendum poll has been ascertained the Returning Officer is to give public notice of the total number of yalid voles recorded, the number recorded for and against the proposal and the number of informal votes, forwarding a statement of the particulars to the Minister for Education. As soon as conveniently may be after the Minister has received the various statements from the Retutning Officers of all the electoral districts iu the Dominiou it is provided that a statement shall be prepared showing the total votes recorded for and against the proposal. This statement is to be laid before Parliament on the first day of its session in .1915, The proposal on which electors are to vote as set out in voting papers is to be worded as follows;

“ Provision to be made for the reading in public schools within school hours of selected Bible lessons from a reading book to be provided by the Education Department. Such reading to be con ducted under the supervision of the public school teacher, but no sectarian teaching to be allowed. Provision to be made for religious instruction to be given within school •hours to children by a Minister of their own denomination or by an accredited substitute; Any parent to have the right if he chocces so to do to withdraw his

child from the Bible reading or from the religious instruction or from both. I vote in favour of the above system, 1 vote against the above system.” The proposal it will be noticed provides for selected Bible lessons being given by teachers and for religious instruction witlva school hours to children by a Minister of their own denomination or ; n accredited substi-

tute. What the teaching shall bo, the Lours of leaching and other details are l,u"t to be dote-,mined later. The refer mlum, when everything is taken into cotjuddciation. is after all but an expression of opinion on the part of the deotoi'i of the Dominion ns to whether more attention should bo paid to (ho religious training of children during sc ho u hours or whether the prr.-.en' ruptorialistio system should con tin a;?. From (ho number of riii,-Oiu..i f h that havo b>oa affixed to . ;v, ->a ry ic Bihm in ■ v it ; . v.iii in,; fcllttt ! ’ .. i V- ; " lL cro IS h'Ai : ;hui-» ’ r)V",r.'. Ml Will ho OSm !»y a ;:,v, ■- r-; :) ■■;■■■■ A> tun snais time ■ or > ion '/he do us tat* is mrreoh ..o)b>iione enough lor iho

e I ohjpct aimed at, still on the priocipl \ that “ half a loaf is better than no I. bread ” the public should be satisfied 1 for the time being with the progress * made.