Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 26 June 1913, Page 35

Notes

The Two Petitions In connection with the petitions now in circulation we draw the attention of all concerned — and particularly of those who are charged with the duty of attending to the signatures—to the fact that there are two petitions, printed on different colored paper, one to the House of Representatives and one to the Legislative Council. Canvassers and others responsible for signatures will, of course, see that each person signs both petitions. Auckland Baptists’ Attitude In his presidential address to tire annual Assembly of the Auckland Province Baptist Auxiliary, as reported in the Auckland Star, Mr. H. M. meet made an emphatic protest against the Bible in State Schools League’s proposals. ‘ As we protest against the money of the' people being given to support denominational systems,’ said the president, ‘so we must stand firm against any force brought to bear upon our school system that may directly or indirectly endanger the true religious liberty of the teacher or the child. We accept no tests for teachers except the tests of character and intelligence, and we claim freedom for the child from having imposed upon him other religious influences than those which his parents love and desire.’ More About the League Canvassers ( -A- writer in the Lyttelton Times, who signs himself As We Are,’ gives some further evidence of the get-a-signature-at-any-price methods adopted by canvassers for the Bible in State Schools League. ‘ A lady canvasser of the Bible-in-Schools League,’ he writes, ‘ called at my house yesterday with the object of obtaining signatures for a referendum on the question. She was assured by my wife that we were absolutely against the admission of the Bible into secular schools. To this statement the canvasser replied, “ Oh ! it does not matter whether you favor the introduction or not ; this card is merely a request for a referendum on the question, and if you will fill it in I will call for it later.” Now, my object in drawing your readers’ attention to this matter is to impress upon those who are satisfied with the present system that a referendum is not necessary, and it is because it is not necessary that the agents of the League have to fall back on direct misrepresentation. Hundreds of people will, without troubling to make themselves acquainted with the text of the card, sign it, and never trouble to go to the poll if a referendum is granted, and it would be by these non-voters that the question would be decided in the League’s favor. It cannot be too firmly impressed upon the satisfied portion of the people that

a referendum is not necessary’ to keep the law in its present state. By signing it they only take upon themselves the responsibility of going to the poll afterwards? if they would be thought consistent.’ ...