BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2189, 30 June 1914, Page 5

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

THE REFERENDUM BILL. <Sy issootetidn.) Ounedln, June 29. At it jueeting held lii tho First Church mH this afternoon, the following motion , aiioved by M.r. 11. Benlhanv- and seconded by Sir,, C. C, Graham, -was imaatttKHisly agretxi to^ "Tin's mefetiag of electors from. Ccn.ti'fll J>tiu«ilin, West, Chalmers, North Duneuin, and South" Ihinedm. electorates., iesolve as. follows :-*-*Thafc approcMort he ;ti.!e action o-rtW, Government in introducing tie Rtferetidu.nl .Bill asked for. by t-lia league.; that' the members for', tlie foregoing . ftlcctorak'S bp. respectfully and strongly urged to support by their votes the wishes, of so many of tfeij jj6ftstita» •eats, who desiie that tho whole of tho people,' fi-foethor opponents , or support■brt of tho league's proposals, shall havo the opportunity of giving a. direct voto fhereoii at the ballot-bos; jit the next -Gonera-I, Election; -and :-tljis: Ejecting espresses the opinion that by taking this : ' course ■tnjeroashnifi.M, of this subiec-t upon the 'political will lie avoided, ■ ROMAN CATHOLIC OBJECTORS ■ _ ' Ofer/l'elWtiirtlh.-r-ftMjfi : iV's6.iJciflti£in.! New Plymouth, .hum 29. At a largo -and Mtprosetffc&tjvo meet- ■ ■ing of adherents <?f tae Reman Catholic Oiuiroh, -the. -question • C-f the agitation by t-1i.6 B-}bk-n.v-S.sh(ioi : s'- iiea-g-tio was cussed.- White strongly fc accord fritli tlie recognition of the Sacred Book, stawiji ojiiiiroit was expressed that the agitation was not warranted. It was decided tlift-t it delogaiioii from the Ro-. . inau C«tholies- of the Dominion should wait- on i'ailiaffl'eii't that tho' . violatjr.n of _eQnsciei}co jjf the mim.Tiiy ! of citizens, should r.or .be .ccuntei-aiined. . .At least a handred .de-lcjjntes -\y.jjl be i sum fro-fii the Tariihafa 'diiMeti. THE WELLINGTON LEVOTE. ; A meeting of, the comniittoe. 'of the ■ W.!iJ.i;igS»u l-'rayiiiee.; Bibie-i-n-Schools League was held in St. Johit's School- : room iast niynt. Tho Rev, U. -S, Uook ■ Has iit the cilair. *Mr. J. 15. X'itiiay, general si-cretaiy, reported;the progress i miring tho past month. .. iiiss f'ugho, ! a'«o .amv.ea tj-oii) Esiglaiid. jesieraay, iui;d ; w.h.p liiid -sliQitojipu ijer visit to- Kngiajirl to take up tlie organising of tr.e ': wmnoa's votes in Cantfirbury, was yre--1 seist.

Cauoii. Garland -said -that the present movement was uo upw thing. :■ Thore had been at least seven occasions when tidis had.been iutroduced into the New Zealand Parliament- to deal with the Bible-in-schools question. Among; these were Bills by Mr. Pownie Stewart, and the latest being by Mr. T. K. Hidov, M.P., who periornied the feat of carrying a private memlior's Bill on such a cOitteiitious siibjert past. its- soconci roaiiiiig. There had also been Mr. Seddor.'s. Bill, introduced on three sepa-r-aie -oocitsioii?, e-Sp'reaily ■ liatod by liiim■self as intended to cover the B:blo-'m-■ichuols questmn. But. there were not. only' the Bills in the lioiise, there were also the statements of members .of Parliament thai- the questioi! had been -adisturbing biife, ile then quoted mv* eral riiembors of Pariiaiiient to that ■effect,'. Mr. J. Hahan, M.l'., who did supiiort Mr. ?iidey's Biii, saitU<—''4, as atiWral,, do. not tie ay the right of the people' to a direct vote on the subject, and to Settle this question for themselves-. . -■'' The subject of Bibl"-in-Sclvoois had been before, tho people for j), numbar -aE years, and TV'ilJ: contr.me to !ake up a great aiuouiit of p.ubl'c and Parliani^rttai'-y 5 time." .This vexed question ought ro be, and it wuld be, finally settled, if it is referred, to the' people with .a cicar, fair, a-.iitj ~cb-mp£e-hensiv<-: issue, so that ther «;!! have iio doubt as to what. they -ape ashed : t,o vote updi;. I fer-1 contiiiruc that 'heir decision will be emphatically against introducing B : &>lc*road.m&/pK ihg iii our pubiiG. : se:hpbts."

■ Canon. Garland contrasted this perPrttual agitation in Nmv Zealand with these.States i.n ■ Australia,' which, having once introduced the system.'of riiliftious ■ instruction as.ke.d for here; - had Pence in Parliament.'' cu tile <3 r.uln>ct 'ihir.h was' now, disturbing.' our" Pa-rlia-mOiltary arena. . _ <

The following resolutions, proposed t>v Sir. ©r-.iicit HadPeiS aiid:'seconded hy JJ'rS. MoJiz-io-s, appieeiatlGii be cxprcssed of the action of the Govermnont ni inttoducing the Referendum Bill.asked for by.tho league." "That the members far the e'ecierater, in-. Wellington Prnvinfe te rcspecifii.lly : but s.t.rO.?ig'ly ia .support [>}• their veto the wislies -or <o oiany of i-beir co.nstitue;;is.,. who dosi.ro ihat. tbij whole people, whether opponents or supporters eif tiio '^oa■|iio■'■s■. , proposals, shall have tho-opportiiiiity -of giving -a direct vote- tbiiteftii -at' thtj- 'bsilciit b«Bs- at the generai election,- on the question in the Bill, now before Parliament; ami this ■meeting. expresses' the opinion that by taking this courses encroachment" of this subject upon the political arena will be avoided." '.