LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1619, 10 December 1912, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE REFERENDUM. Sir,—You would surely admit that the present Government has 110 mandate from the people to concede the right to determine the issue regarding the Bible in schools by referendum or general plebiscite? We, who object to a "referendum" on any subject involving religious issues think that the first thing—and the only just tiling—to do would be to consult the constituencies on the question as to the justice and expediency of determining such an issue by means of a referendum. Let the people decide whether a referendum be taken on the question at issue. Your leader (in this morning's issue) seams to imply that the present Parliament (if not Cabinet) would be justified in conceding -to the Bible-in-Hchools' League all that they want—the "right" to determine the issuo by a referendum! I respectfully suggest that the constituencies and not the present, or any other, Government should be consulted as to such a concession. If the 'Government finds a subject of this kind "inconvenient," and wishes to keep the issuo absolutely "clear of" politics, I submit that the best and fairest way of dealing with the question is to "take a referendum" on'the question of conceding the "right" to settle the Bible-iu-schools issue by means of a referendum. In a word, wo of the National Schools' Defence League think that the people, and not a Government (without,a direct mandate), should concede the "right" to a referendum oil sucli fin issue.—l am, etc., HUGH MACKENZIE. December 9. . ULSTER AND MR. ATKINSON. Sir,—l notice that Mr. Atkinson, at the meeting of protest against the introduction of the Bible into our State schools, is reported to have said "that was akin to the talk about the battle of the Boync, the kind of talk that was doing duty for politics in Ulster just now." I have just returned from Ulster, and deny the correctness of Mr. Atkinson's statement. I have.no doubt that if Mr. Atkinson visited Ulster he would alter his views, and be in a position to speak on the Ulster question with some degree of authority. I suppose we may conclude that these remarks of Mr. Atkinson, which are a gratuitous slight upon a half-million of intelligent, industrious, 'and loyal people, are a fair sample of the kind of argument that is, and will be, used to prevent children from getting some knowledge of the Bible in New Zealand schools.—l am, etC " J. KENNEDY ELLIOTT. ■Wellington, December 7, 1912.