THE REFERENDUM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 5 February 1913, Page 4

THE REFERENDUM.

j A correspondent draws attention to the fact that tho Bible-in-Schools League is demanding a referendum on I the question of the introduction of tho jeligious element to our schools. This appears to ho the finst step towards wrecking the education system Tn matters of great public policy we believe the referendum to be the surest and most expeditious manner of ascertaining the will of tho people. On questions affecting the conscience, however, the referendum is a dangerous weapon. Assuming, for instance, that a referendum were taken in India a* to whether the tenets of Buddhism should be taught in all European schools. Would the English .population tolerate the domination of the majority in such a matter? If tin; majority in New Zealand were agms■tics, would the minority permit a referendum as to whether the name of I.God should be expunged from ti •■■ whole of our readers and text-book/-' a proposition would at onee be •'ntolerable. And so it is with tho mat • i tor of religions instruction. We maintain that tho majority has no right whatever to compel 'the minorftv, even though that minority consist of the teaching -profession ' alone, f> adopt measures that violate the rights ol conscience which every man should possess in a British community.