SPEAKER WILLIS’S LATEST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10529, 17 December 1912, Page 5

SPEAKER WILLIS’S LATEST.

United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received December 17, 10 a.m. Sydney, December 17. Speaker Willis’s latest role is that of a critic of the State schools. Speaking at the Teachers’ Conference in reference to religious teaching in the schools, he characterised it as a godless system in the midst of which God was not. His remarks met with strong dissent from the gathering. The ex-Minister of Education and the Director of Education warmly defending the system and repudiating th'e charge.

Received December 17, 11 a. m. Sydue3 r , December 17. Touching on politics Mr Wilils told the teachers that he was the only one Liberal left. .He did not know whether [they were going to vote for or the other fellow, but he knew the other fellow was a humbug. His objection to Labour was that it did not go far enough or fast enough. Defending his claim for higher salary he said a workman was worthy of his hire. There were plenty of men willing to represent them for nothing, but the man who does it ■‘or nothing gets rich. One thing he was bound to say about Australian public men was they are honest. He bad nine years’ experience and bad never seen members take so much as a twopenny stamp. He was willing to serve for nothing because the honour of representing one’s country was great.