A STORMY PETREL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1626, 18 December 1912, Page 7

A STORMY PETREL.

MR. SPEAKER WILLIS AGAIN. "GODLESS" SCHOOLS. REMARKS RESENTED BY TEACHERS, By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright Sydney, December 17. Mr. Speaker 'Willis's latest role is that of critic of Hie State. Schools. Speaking at the Teachers' Conference in roferenco to religious teaching in schools, he characterised as Godless a system in the midst of which God was not. His remarks met with strong dissent from the gathering. An ex-Minister of Education and the Director of Education in their replies warmly defended the system, and repudiated the charges. Touching upon politics, in the course of his address to the teachers, Mr. Willis remarked that there was only one Liberal left. Ho did not know whether he was going to vote Labour or for the other fellow; but he knew tho other fellow was a humbug. His objection to Labour was that it did not go far enough or fast enough. In defending his claim for a higher salary, Mr. Willis said that a workman was worthy of his hire. There were plenty of men willing to represent them for nothing, but a man who does it for nothing gets rich. One thing ho was bound to say about tho Australian public men was that they were honest. Ho had had nine years' experience, and had never seen a member take as much as a twopenny stamp. He was willing to servo for nothing, because tho honour to represent one's country was great.