THE REV. R. WOOD AND THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2143, 8 May 1914, Page 8

THE REV. R. WOOD AND THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE.

, Sirj-rMauy of .your readers lisVe, r;6 tlu«ibt, liasl- considerable of tl.ie itev._ Robert Wood's methods of conducting a- controversy, and so . havo had abundant opportunity of learning tlmt he lias so Httlo, in liis composition, of that charity tot tiiinketb j>s> evi) that he is perpetually and persistently indulging in the pastimes of s suggesting tho false ami. 'trailing particularly rubicund herring across the scent. Be seems co&stfoltkmaliy incapable -of keeping, to the po-iiit or of,. stating the J'oaso" of those opposed to him on any issue fairly or straightforwardly. Tlio executive of tie National Schools Defence League has repeatedly af&rmed that it would offer no opposition to the Govbrnfiiont's allowing tho use of classrooms (in fcitir State schofils) before or after tho hours ordinarily- aJWea ted to tho secular Syllabus ;.to accredited representatives of tho Churches (working jointly where and wheil votaitary cooperation is- possible and severally where •such corporation is impisssib-Wj/for tile purposes of imparting religious instruction to- the children o£ their owir respective; doSioiiiinatioiis—provided no State school-teacher i& under any compulsion {so far as the State is eoiieeHicd) to take part i« such 'teacbiug, and tio pupil'is under any compulsion, (sn far as the State is »'onc:erucd> to be piescmi.; tuid, provided 110 payment is made by the State for semens rendered in eon* lipcti'Gii with such religious instruction. This- surely should make it unmistakably clear to any unbiased reader af flrdiiJa'fy intelligence that the very last thing that the executive of tho National Schools Defence League would think of tolerating in out State schools :{in connection with any fight of entry conceded) would bo any arrangement t/iat would permit of prose-lytism in any sliape of form-; yet t-he Rev. Robert Wood, with characteristic bluff aad effrontery, asserts to the contrary! What our would 3iat oppose is . Romo supplementary voluntary system in our State schools that would ho ah- , solutely fair to ail religimta denominations in the Dominion,, and Mv. Wood is hut suggesting wliat ,1s positively falsa when he asserts: to'tiro contrary.— I am, etc., HUGH MACKENZIE. Hon. Sec. N. 7., National Schools Defence League.