A VISITOR FROM QUEENSLAND.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14835, 28 November 1913, Page 8

A VISITOR FROM QUEENSLAND.

ARRIVAL OF MTt JAMES ALLAN, M.L.A.

Mr James Allan, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, who is at present on a health tour through Naw Zealand, arrived in town last night from tho West Coast, and will be here for a day or two before continuing his journey south. BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS. v An interesting statement on tho Bible-in-schools question was made by Mr Allan, in the course of an interview with a "Press" reporter last night. Mr Allan said that prior to 1910 State education in Queensland was secular. Under the old Act, instruction could bo given by representatives of religious bodies, under certain conditions, before or after school hours; but this was practically unworkable, and it became a dead letter. For some years later there was a latent growing feeling that tho eystem was defective. The Roman Catholics, whose percentage number is nearly twice as many as in New Zealand, gave practical expression to their dissatisfaction by building schools of their own in all the chief centres. It was. realised by the majority of tho other Churches that a complete education must include something more than mere sectarianism. Tho Bible-in-State-Schools , League was formed, and under a special Act of Parliament, passed with few dissentients, the question was referred to the people by a referendum, taken on the same,day as the Federal general election in April 1910. At that election the Labour Party returned all tho Senators and a majority of the representatives in the nine Federal electorates. The same electors carried tho Bible-in-State-schools' referendum, by a majority of over 17,000, which was a much larger majority than that committing Queensland to Federston. In the following session, the State Government brought in a Bill giving effect to tho expressed wish of the people. It provided for a text book, containing selected portions of Scripture, including the.Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, and other portions, containing tho essentials of tho ethics of our common Christianity, reference to which is interwoven in our literature and art. Tho text book is read by tho scholars, and simply explained by tho teachers. In addition to this a certain time, during school hours, is set asido for religious teaching by clergymen, or other authorised teachers, and a conscience clause exempts children whose parents may object to such/ teaching. The Bill met with strong opposition in both Houses. It was asserted that it would stir up strife and bitterness, and many other evils; but it has been shown after two years' practical experience that all these fears were imaginary and groundless. 'The system introduced is the same as in New South Wales, Tasmania, and West Australia; but the Queensland text j book is slightly different in the selection of portions of Scripture. STRIKE MATTERS. Having had first-hand experience of the big Brisbane strike, Mr Allan has naturally taken a'particular interest in strike matters here. He said that the 1912 syndical strike at Brisbane, in which thirty-two unions took part, was a complete failure but it caused heavy losses on both sides. It was followed by a general State election. In the Brisbane area eight Liberals and six Union Socialists were returned; but taking the State as a whole, the Government went to the country with a majority of eight, and returned to power with a majority of twenty-two in a House of seventytwo members, the farming electorates being solid against the strike and mob rule. ■"'•■' "From what I have gathered while travelling through the North Island," ho added, "it seems to mc ,that the effect of the strike, politically, will be to unite the two parties into o common cause against Socialism and Syndical-" ism. "That was the result in Queensland, and. that, in my opinion, will be. the result here." . .