THE BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS REFERENDUM.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 253, 28 November 1914, Page 8

THE BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS REFERENDUM.

To the Editor of THE SUN. Sir,: —The Bible-in-sehools campaign has been largely-built ,up on "Australian evidence." The main part of it is contained in a pamphlet called "Opinions of Educational Experts."' Friend "Churchwarden" always flourishes it as '' our 36 pages of Australian evidence." , Before the Education Committee of the House, Canon Garland was obliged to admit that the first witness in the pamphlet, the Under-Secretary for Public Instruction, New South Wales, had taken the main part of his material from the lioyal Commission report on education, Now South Wales, of 1904. The matter thus taken was. not given as a quotation, but in no fewer than nine places the statements of the Koyal Commission were altered, added to, or" partly, or wholly, cut out. In every one of these alterations the change made a more favourable view of the scheme for presentation to New Zealand readers. In,'the same letter is given in inverted commas the opinion of the inspector, whose opinion is given as representative of that of the other inspectors. Yet, while purporting to give this inspector's statements- verbatim; ;■ ' the concluding sentence is cut out. This sentence states that in "about" half of the schools in New South Wales j are the Scripture lessons given in the way in which the inspector says they are to be given if benefit is to accrue. Yet the Bible-in-Sehools League is willing to present these garbled statements as '' evidence' '" in favour of a religious movement. After this precious document was given for publication, two of the most significant words in connections with the, whole .scheme were in some way .omitted, from the above le.tter, before it was printed in the "Opinions of Experts. " Canon Garland told the Education Committee that ■ this must have been,a;.''printer's,error.'' I produced an official copy, of the letter, which showed that these most significant words were specially underlined by the Secretaryfcof Public am, etc., .■.-.,.- ~- -■'■■ •' • - ■ . .'." ~ -J-JJ-LCAUGHLEY. _