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Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 101, 20 August 1873, Page 3

SAMCBt Ij. CIiAEKB, Chairman School Committee. Tauranga, August 18, 1873.

TO THK BDITOB. Sib,— l was both surprised and disgusted on Sunday evening at hearing lbs Rev Mr Jordan’s allusions to the system of instruction pursued ia the district schools of this province. He stigma* tised the instruction as ungodly, and invited parents to send their children to the Sunday school, assuring them that no poll tax would ba charged for the privilege. Mr Jordan is. or ought to be aware, that the Act of the Legislature of the country in which he resides strictly prohibits religious instruction in any district school daring the usual hours of attendance. But if he bo much deplores the want of such instruction, he will find, on reference to the 45Lh clause of the Education Act, that a very simple remedy is in his power —a remedy the use of which would redound more to his credit than a mere invitation to attend a class established lone before his arrival in the country by some ladies of his present congregation. Hia attempted facetious allusion to the poll tax hardly sounded well from a minister of the Hoepel who ought rather to teach subjection to the laws of the land ; and I, for one, hope I may never five io see tu« Sunday pulpit used for declaiming upon political subjects. I consider the whole tenor of His remarks out of place, and certainly not flattering to his parishioners, whom he -described as living in a place of almost Pagan darkness, offering fewer advantages in the way of education than “even Ireland.”

Any one bearing tbe reverend gentleman would at once discover that ho was a new arrival, not yet imbued with the liberal feelings and opinions of the colonies ; but there is no excuse in finding him destitute,of that virtue taught so particularly in the Book be wishes to uphold, viz., Christian charity.—l am, &c ,