BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 21 October 1913, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

$ ——— QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Tho following letter, dated September 12, 1913, from tlio Education Department, Tasmania, was read in the Victorian Parliament last month, and is of particular interest just now in New Z/oaland in view of tlio controversy on tlio question of Bible lessons in tile State schools:— Sir,—ln the absenco of tho director, who is now in Sydney, I havo the honour to acknowledge your communication of tlio 9th inst. in relation to Scrip, turo instruction in Stato schools, and, in reply, to furnish you with tljo following _ answers to tho questions and other information: — Question I.—ls tho system acceptable to your Department and tho teachers generally ? Answer.—Our system in relation to tho subject mentioned is acceptable to the Department, and, eo far as is known to the teachers generally. Question 2.—Do any teachers object to giving tho lessons? Answer. —I am not aware that any such objection lias been made. Tlio teaching of sacred liistory is part of tho work prescribed for all State schools. Question 3. —Are any scholars withdrawn from the lessons? Answer. —I am not aware that any scholars havo been withdrawn from tho lessons._ Question 4. —Has any sectarian feeling been engendered between either; teachers or scholars in carrying out this systm ? Answer. —It does not appear that any sectarian fooling on the part of teaelicrs or scholars has been engendered in carrying out this svstem. Question s.—ls the permission to visit schools generally availed of by ministers of religion? Answer.—Yes, especially in city schools and larger country schools. Question C. —Can yon give the number of visits annually made by the ministers of each religious denomination for the purnoso of imparting Scriptural instruction ? Answer. —Tho visits made bv the ministers of religion for giving religions instruction are recorded in the visitors' books of tho respective schools, but we have no returns reporting tho number of such visits. I havo the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, I (Signed) J MASTERS, Secretary for Education. Hobart, September 12, 1913. '