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New Zealand Tablet, 12 February 1920, Page 37

THE MACPHERSON-CARSON-GEORGE EDUCATION ACT. . A correspondent, over the signature of “P.P.,” writes thus to the Irish Catholic: —“I desire to call public attention to one feature of above Act which, to my mind, is conclusive proof that it is a secularising measure and subversive of effective religious instruction in the schools. Clause 3 gives a vague direction as to the continuance of religious instruction as given at present. For Catholics these provisoes are of little value unless supported, and, if necessary, enforced, by the authority of the managers of the schools. That dark designs are entertained against the Catholic clergy as managers is evident from the glaring omission from the Act of Chapter IV, of the present Rules of the National Board, headed ‘ Patronage and Management of National Schools.’ Here the first Rule lays down that ‘ the government of the schools is vested in the patrons or in managers ’ 5 and Rule 26, Ch. 111., lays down that * the patrons or managers determine whether any and, if any, what religious , instruction shall be given in the schoolroom.’ Why has Chapter IV. of the Rules, setting forth the rights and powers of managers, been eliminated from this Act? Does this not prove beyond yea or nay that the aims of the Bill and of its authors and future administrators are strongly secularist? 'Does it not disclose Lloyd George’s well-known dictum, ‘ Get in the Bible and keep out the priest ?.”•