REFERENDUM OPPOSED.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXII, Issue 48, 27 October 1925, Page 4

REFERENDUM OPPOSED.

CHILDREN SUFFER. (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 arc afraid to trust the people. Sir, the home of the Rercndum is m 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 gunited 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 quetion of religious instruction in schools by a vote of the people.

In 1901, 1903 and 1904 the Right Hon. R. J. Sedon, the leader of the Liberal Party in Now Zealand, introduced a General Rcrerendum Bill, which would include the Bible in Schools question.

In 1905 a Bible in Schools Plebiscite Bill was also introduced by Mr R. Sidcy, M.P. What is the mater with the Labour Party when it wishes, not only to prohibit, as in Russia, the Bible in the schools, but it also desires to prohibit the people from having a vote ou same 1 ? It is a sign of weakness, and also ignorance of the Referendum principles, for the Labour Party to take refuge behind the excuse that a vote cannot be 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 dotes naked; since that is the 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 arc afraid to allow the people a vote on Bible in Schools, which would mean much for the e hildren’s moral welfare, —Yours, etc., A NEW ZEALANDER.