BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8100, 27 August 1904, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

The Premier gave a very sound and sensible answer to the deputation avhich waited on him on Thursday to protest) against the introduction of Bible-reading , into the State schools of the colony. Tlic : question, be said, was one for the people to decide. This is emphatically true. If there was ever a question which ought to be referred to the popular vote it is this. It so closely affects the basis of the colony's educational system that only the electors. as a whole should have the right to decido , it. If the Legislative Council persists hr withholding tho necessary machinery for taking popular votes through tha mediuna o{, the Referendum Bill, the Government ought to bring down a special Bill author- * ising a referendum on this question alone. The Upper House could not, in common fairness, refuse its consent to such .a proposal ; indeed, if it desired to refuse, . we very much doubt whether it would dure do bo. But we cannot be-, ' Jieve that ifc would whh to. The necessity for settling tha Bible-in-schools question must be apparent even to tb- Council's discernment, and it must be also cvi- \ dent to ifc that the referendum affords ih_ p*. malj satisfactory moans of deciding the

.WUl' llll IHlllll I l.llllll : t ;^IIIMII^--«-JUIUt. l M^ question. Tlie Premier, we notice, is i verse to printing the Bible-in-school-pariy's text-book for circulation at the public expense. Here also we agree with iiim. The text-book is in the nature of in election manifesto, and it would, thereEore, be unreasonable to saddle the State with the cost of distributing ifc among the . Sectors. If the Bible-in-schools party de- , .ires that the electors shall become familiar with the features of its policy it should make them known by the methods usuaily [idopted by other sections of the puhlio which have a '"cause" to advocate, and f< by candidates afc the general ejection*. ***