DUNEDIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3356, 10 January 1879, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

[SPKOIAI,.] JAN. 9. I At the meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery, JDr Copland moved a formidable overture to 'the Synod containing as many clauses as the Commandments, each beginning with "whereas," suggesting that measures bo taken for the daily reading of the Bible m schools. In speaking to the motion, he urged that the secular principle would not rest satisfied with its influence over schools, bat

would establish itself in the Legislature, »bolieh prayers in the House of Repreeentaives, drive out the Bible from of Fustice, and affect the enactments of the Legislature in questions relating to marriage, the Sabbath, and matters of morality. It was resolved to transmit the overture to the Synod. The Daily Times to-day recommends the adoption of the Irish national system, and says : — " There is something in the objection, that entire silence in the schools about Buch a book as the Bible, which is so interwoven with our literature and our thought, is absurd and unnecessary, and inconsistent, moreover, with the whole tone of our school reading books. If it is admitted by even such men as Matthew Arnold, who denies its miraculous origin, that [ throughout this book is one whose teaching " makes for righteousness," it should surely have its place among other histories in our schools, and the only valid objections we know of to this are that it is a very large and varied book, and that there are parts unsuited for reading in class." 'r* A water famine is again anticipated. There 'ia said to be only three weeks' supply in the raservoir, and it is proposed to stop the supply to machinery. TbJB will occasion great inconvenience and loss to trade. \ The instructions issued by the Government that all free passes on the railway are to be stopped, has interfered with the prosecution of certain important road vrorks between Dunedin and Port Chalmers by prison labour The Minister of Works is to be interviewed on the subject. A lad named Power, aged fifteen, employed at the Daily Times office, was charged to-day by the publisher, R. N. Adams, with having forged his name to a cheque for £10. Accused had bought a shirt and hat from Hallenstein Bros, for Bs, and received the balance of the cheque. It was filled up with a clumsy schoolboy scrawl. Power was committed for trial.

It is reported that the southern trunk line will not be opened for tlirough traffic until Jan. 20.