The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1914. THE COMING ELECTIONS

New Zealand Tablet, 26 November 1914, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1914. THE COMING ELECTIONS

«S has been already notified in the daily press, the date of the General Election has been definitely fixed for Thursday, December 10, and the supplementary electoral rolls have now been declared closed. An eleventhhour opportunity for qualifying to vote will be accorded to a certain section of electors who have been disfranchised through no , fault of their own. It appears that quite a number of persons have had their names struck off the main roll for some unknown and undiscoverable reason, though they actually voted at the General Election of 1911. We remind ally of our readers who may find themselves in that position that the electoral law has been amended during the past session so as to permit them to vote on making a declaration before the proper officer that he or she did actually vote on that occasion and we hope the reminder will be carefully noted. . J

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As a non-political paper, we have no concern with the party political issues involved in the present contest; but as a Catholic paper we are very vitally interested in the moral and religious questions that are to be raised. As has been again and again explained by Bishop Cleary, and in the columns of the Tablet, we are in accord with the fundamental aim of the organisation which styles itself ‘ The Bible ’ in State Schools League—although it does not want ‘ The Bible * in the State school curriculum, but only State-selected bits and fragments of the Bible and we have, all along, been willing to cooperate with other religious denominations to introduce Biblical and other religious instruction into the State schools, on conditions fair, to all other users of the schools. But we must, in conscience, strenuously oppose several of the methods by which the abovementioned League seeks to introduce fragments of the Bible into the public curriculum. We object to the State setting up as a teacher of religion; we object to the Government according special and favored treatment to one section of the people, by providing Biblical and religious lessons acceptable to that section, and at the same time making no provision for all other sections of the people; we object to being compelled to pay for the compiling, printing, and teaching of a sectarian State Religion of which we can take no benefit; we object to coercing the consciences of Catholic and other teachers; we object to the League’s Irish proselytising conscience clause; and we object to any majority of electors dictating to Catholics what Bible, or Bible extracts, or religion Catholics shall accept, or pay for, or teach or permit to be taught to their children. * The Bible-in-Schools League, so called, has suffered a bad defeat before the Education Committee and in

the House of Representatives; and .we honestly believe that the country is dead against its unjust scheme. But those who would be the victims of that scheme cannot afford to be over-confident or to take any chances : the ■man who under-rates ,an enemy is laying himself out for a beating. The League is making a supreme and desperate effort to retrieve its fallen fortunes. ‘ Earnestness ’ cards have been signed, by which the signatories pledge themselves to place the Bible-in-schools question above all other issues ; synods and assemblies are passing resolutions urging their people in the same direction ; and we are informed that secret circulars have been sent out by the 'League, instructing League supporters to work secretly for their chosen candidates. Catholics must fully realise, therefore, that they will need to be alert and active. A question, and in some districts a number of questions, are being sent out to the branches of the Catholic Federation, with instructions that the views of all candidates be ascertained on the referendum issue. We earnestly request that copies of candidates’ replies he immediately forwarded to us; and all replies received will be published in our next issue (December 3). Secretaries are asked to remember that the following issue (December 10) will be too late, and that all communications must reach us not later than December 1. Subscribers who are not Federation secretaries can assist by sending us newspaper cuttings containing candidates’ answers, and these can be used in cases where the official reply does not reach us in time. This, and the energetic circulation of the compact and altogether admirable Catholic Federation pamphlet No. —which should be placed in the hands of every elector in every districtis the work requiring urgent and immediate attention, Members of the Federation have already rendered magnificent service in the battle for justice and religious liberty, and we confidently rely upon them to see this thing through. When the candidates’ replies are to hand, we, shall have a further word to say on the subject.