BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2121, 13 April 1914, Page 10

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

DEFENCE LEAGUES MEET FUTURE CAMPAIGNING • A conference of tho affiliated National Schools' Defence Leagues was opened.in Wellington on Saturday. In the absence of tho president of tho national executive, 31r. A. Jt. Atkinson, whp is at ptesent in England, Mr. John Caughley, of Ohristchureh, occupied the chair. The teaching profession was strongly represented. Tho secretary (Professor Mackenzie), read tho executive's report:— "We very much regret that our aule and energetic president, Mr. A. R. Atkinson, is not with us. Ho lias, as you know, thrown himself enthusiastically and energetically into tho work of ithe National Schools' Defence, League. On August 10 last year, under the auspices of your executive, a largo and influential deputation waited on tho Prime Minister and Minister of Education. The .Prime' Minister's attitude was as franlj as it could well be. He stated: 'If you do not know my attitude on this question, you ought to —my attitude is simply this.: I have-stood for freo secular and compulsory education even before I entered Parliament, and I stand for it now.' He added: 'Tho question has not yet come before Cabinet, but I thing I have good reason for saying that, as long as this Government is in power nothing will be done by Cabinet which would not be consistent with tho freo, secular, and compulsory education system of the Dominion.' ■

"After receiving that frank assurance your executive felt that tho work of our National Schools' .Defence League was practically accomplished. ''We know, however, that tho Bible in Schools' party, subsequently deputationisod the Prime Minister, and though his 'reply to the deputation (so far as the published accounts of it wero concerned) held out no hope of tho Government's entertaining the idea of a referendum on the issues which tho Bible-in-Schools' Party would have the Government submit to tho people, yet Dr. Gibb was so buoyed up with the Prime Minister's reply thai, ho wired at tho time to Dean Fitchett that a referendum was practically promised for nest (that is this) year. - A Referendum. "Now, if there is. tho remotest possibility of the Government's entertaining the idea of a referendum on the question of Bible in schools this year, it would bo a scandalous betrayal of this league and a political injustico of the gravest character. "The Bible-in-sehools Party -have not (so far as can be gathered) held a single public meeting in the Dominion. They have had the use of 90 per cent, of the Protestant churches and Sunday school halls —buildings exempt from rates and taxes —all for the purposo of influencing political opinion. If,-then, the Government is going to concede to such n clerical combine as the Bible-iu-schools Party, working in this clandestine way through ecclesiastical organisations, the right of initiative in connection with a referendum or plebiscite, it (the Government) is going not only to commit an unconstitutional act (of the Pilate referendum order), but also to recognise a combine of certain Protestant churclies as part of the legislative machinery of this Dominion. ''Now, we, your national executive, take 'it that while every .National Schools Defence League in the Dominion is irreconcilably opposed to making Bible-reading or religious instruction part and parcel of the State schools' curriculum (as the Bible-in-schools Party propose) not a single defence league (as a league) is opposed to a purely voluntary system of Bible in schools (supplementing the national secular system), provided no State school teacher is under compulsion to take part in such teaching, no jjupil under compulsion to bo, present whilo such instruction is im-parted,-and no payment is made by the State for any services rendored in connection with such a voluntary system. In other words, whilo our leagues would offer no opposition , to the Government's granting the use of schoolrooms, bofore or after the hours ordinarily allocated to'the'secular syllabus, to accredited representatives of- the various religious denominations (working jointly orseverallv) so long as no denomination is denied equal facilities, they (our leagues) emphatically protest against providing religious teaching securing the of a Protestant or any other majority at Jho expense of all the taxpayers of t& Dominion, irrespective of their religious convictions. Our leagues are, we take it, emphatically opposed to the State's taking sides, where purely religious issues are involved, but would offer no opposition to Biblical or religious instruction (as a supplement to our national secular system), provided no injustice is inflicted on any Christian or non-Chria-tian member of the community. Such, at any rate, is the attitude of the executive of your New Zealand Nationalschools Defence League, and it is for you, the representatives of the affiliated •leagues to endorse or disclaim that attitude."

Tho report was unanimously adoptAppointment of. an Organiser. Various matters were- stitmutted to of tho meeting by atnliated leagues and wero caretully discussed by tho delegates. Attention was directed to tho fact that an attempt was being made by the opponents of tne IMence league to securu sympathy for tho Bible-m-cjchdols movement by associating it with the Prohibition movement. The delegates' were unanimously of opinion that whatever lay undisclosed in the counsels of tho Bible-in-Schools party, tho Pefeuoo Leagues are organised lor one purpose, antf one purpose alone,- the defence of our national schools. It was reported that a systematic attempt was to be made by the "sectarians' , to capture tho school committees, at the forthcoming' annual elections. The Defence Leaguo therefore urges all friends of our present unsectarian system to rally, to tho defence of tho causo. . Tho question of the appointment of an organiser for .the defence movement; was fully discussed, tho name of a wellknown New Zealand clergyman was suggested, and it was left to the executive to mako the necessary arrangements. It is confidently expected that the organiser will take up his duties very shortly. The following executive was unanimously re-elected:—Presfdeiit, Mr. A, R. Atkinson; vice-presidents, Hon. Geo. Fowlds, Messrs. Boberfc M'Nab, T. M. Wilford, M.P., A. H. Hindinarsh, M.P., D. M'Laren, J. Hutcheson, Mrs. A. R. Atkinson, Mrs. J. Anderson, Revs. Howard Elliot and S. Craik (Auckland), Rovs. AVilliamson and J. Sarginson (Christehurch), Revs. , Sanders, Ashford, and W. Kennedy (Dunedin), Rev. A. North (Ngaio), Rov. J. Archer (Napier), Rev. H. Cqttom (Petojie), Rev. Van Staveren (Wellington), Mr. H. Hill, 8.A., F.G.S. (Napier), Mr. Robert Lee, B.A. (Wellington), Mr. J. C. Tcimant, B.S.C.M.A. (Wellington), MosSrs. Foster, M.A., Watson, 8.A., Bedingfield, 8.A., M'Morran, Gnindy, Webb, 8.A., Parkinson, M.A., Bary and Poison (Wellington), Jo'lin Caugliley, M.A. (Christchurch), Mr. Mark Cohen (Dunedin), Mr. J. J. Ramsay (Alexandra), Mr. Robort Fletcher (Wellington), Misses Helyer (England), Dowdswell and Myors, M.A. (Wellington), Mr. F. P. Wilson, M".A., Professors MaaMillan Brown, Hight and Chilton (Ohristchuroh), Mr. Speight (Auckland), Professors Hunter, Kirli, Lnby, Von Zodlitz (Wclluigton). Secretary, Professor H. Mackenzie (Wellington). Treasurer, C. J. Cooke, B.A. (Wellington). Dolegates suggested many additional names throughout tho Dominion, and theso wero elected l subject to their accepting nomination, to tho executive.