The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1913. THE NEED FOR DISCUSSION

New Zealand Tablet, 3 April 1913, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1913. THE NEED FOR DISCUSSION

§ANON Garland has now completed his official visitation of the four chief cities of the Dominion, and interesting v valuable discussions on the League’s proposals are proceeding in all the four centres. In Auckland, Bishop Cleary has the Rev. I. Jolly and the Rev. Alex. Miller in a corner, " and is also holding courteous and effective controversy with the Vicar of Stratford and the Bishop of Waiapu. In Wellington, the Very Rev.' Dean O’Shea, by means of telling and vigorous addresses, and Professor Mackenzie and numerous other writers by means of communications to the daily press, ' are laying bare the weak points of the scheme and rallying the forces of opposition. In Christchurch, Mr. • John Caughley, the Rev. W. J. Williams, and Miss Carel . Cross ar eattacking the League system from the point of view respectively of dissident Presbyterians, Baptists, and members of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. In Dunedin, three contests are proceeding in„” the columns of the newspaper press— between the Rev. W. J. Ashford (Congregationalist) and the Rev. W Gray Dixon, Presbyterian and local honorary secretary of the League; another between Mr. J. A. Scott / and the Very Rev.' Dean Fitchett, a local vice-president -: of the League and a third between the Otago Daily Times and Mr. Joseph Braithwaite, also a local official of the League. Short lived controversies have also taken place in the columns of the Dunedin Evening Star between the Star and Dean Fitchett, and between . Dean Fitchett and Professor Mackenzie, of Wellington. In many other districts, also, outside the city areas the League’s / proposals are being subjected to vigorous criticism in the editorial and' correspondence columns, of the press. It is well that there should be this free ventilation of the subject, for discussion is the ; one thing imperatively necessary and desirable; and we are writing these lines expressly for the purpose of urging upon all interested the need of getting to and moulding on the side of justice the great body of outside opinion which is, we believe, open to conviction and ready to give a fair hearing if the case is put clearly and temperately before them. We must, of course, organise our own forces; but it would be fatal policy to leave the vast mass of outside opinion to be played upon unopposed by the League’s persistent mis- • representations and appeals to sectarian rancor. The lecture and the printed pamphlet, leaflet, and broadsheet, and the columns of the secular —that is the way to educate the public mind; and to educate the public is to seal the fate of the narrow and unjust proposals of the League. * , ■ -K’

As the work of discussion, and education proceeds, and we hope it will be taken up everywhere with even greater energy as opportunity offers—we note that

the League * leaders have increasing difficulty in keeping their spirits up. Canon Garland complained at his Mosgiel meeting that the 1 Otago Daily Times had not treated the movement fairly in the matter of the space accorded to the Dunedin demonstration of supporters, and mournfully exclaimed: .': The principalities and powers of darkness are fighting against the League.' And the Outlook, following close on the heels of the Dunedin meeting, bemoans the prevalent apathy towards the Bible in'State Schools movement,' and proceeds to show how serious that apathy is. Under these circumstances our contemporary is fairly safe in its prophecy that the battle which is being conducted under such depressing accompaniments 'may last for years.'