CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LX, Issue 9346, 17 April 1909, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

SCHOOL ELECTION

A REFERENDUM ADVOCATED

[to the editor

Sir.—ln the majority of the day schools of the United States, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, ami South Africa, the Bible is read daily, but Kew Zealand banished the Bible from the State Schools some thirty-five years ago, with flic result that there are a great percentage of youug men, native born, in our gaols, and the effects are seen in other directions. Parents who desire to see their children get the highest possible training during the short school life, are urged to work for the restoration of the Bible to our schools by attending the annual meeting of Householders on Monday, 2<'>th inst., and only voting for candidates who are pledged to got the School Committee to take a local referendum on Bible reading. If a public hall has been engaged for the annuaJ meeting, two blackboards should be provided, one for the list of candidates who are for "Referendum on Bible Reading, ,; and the other for the list of those "Against Referendum,." Wives of householders can vote at the above meeting.

The referendum could easily be taken with the aid of the children, each parent to have supplied within thirty days a voting paper with the following questions thereon, to be signed and returned :—

(1.) I agree to allow mv child to take part iv a daily Bible reading at tiie State School. (2.) I object to my child taking part in a daily Bible reading at the State School. Voters to cross off the clause they object to. If the 2000 School Committees in the Dominion find parents are favourable, Parliament will be approached this session.—l am, etc S. PEARSON. "io.'J Cuba-street, Wellington, 15th April, I'.iO'i..