LABOUR AGAINST REFERENDUM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19433, 20 October 1925, Page 6

LABOUR AGAINST REFERENDUM

(To the Editor). Sir. —The New Zealand Labour Party candidates have pronounced against a vote of the people being taken on the Bible in schools question; this action proves that they do not represent true democracy in New Zealand, because they are afraid to trust the people. The home of the referendum is in Switzerland, and in 1882 that country took a referendum on the proposal to remove religious instruction from the schools, but the proposal was rejected. Catholics and Protestants united to vote “no” the minority being German Radicals, Freethinkers and Socialists. In South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, the question of Bible reading in schools was submitted to a referendum. This year one of the Baltic States decided the question of religious instruction in schools by a vote of the people. In 1901, 1903 and 1904 the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, the Leader of the Liberal Party in New Zealand, introduced a General Referendum Bill, which would include the Bible in schools question. In 1905 a Bible in Schools Plebiscite Bill was also introduced by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P. What is the matter with the Labour Party when it wishes, not only to prohibit, as in Russia, the Bible in schools, but it also desires to prohibit the people from having a vote on same? It is a sign of weakness, and also ignorance of the referendum principles, for ti ? Labour Party to take refuge behind the excuse that a vote cannot ho taken on a religious question. What will Bible reading in schools mean? It means letting the children know it is wrong to steal, to lie, to dishonour the Sabbath, and right to honour their parents, to love mankind, to care for the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked; since that is he Bible religion. I say we want a little of it, as it is true Socialism. In the United States of America under the Initiative Referendum and Recall Acts, a vote may be taken on Bible reading in schools. Trusting voters will spurn candidates who are afraid to allow the people a vote on Bible in schools, which would mean much for the children’s moral welfare. The Labour Party may have my name. —I am, etc., A NEW ZEALANDER. Wellington, October 15, 1925.