NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2189, 30 June 1914, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

In order that a thing may be seen j in its -ti'tie colours it is often neces* j sary that it. e-lw-ild be removed frch'. the a'laie. of the political arena and j studied on its merits. A sinking! instance of this fact was funii.sh.od j yesterday when a deputation, from the (Jat.holic Federation waited upon the Hon. Jas. Ai.lf.n _ (Minister of Education), and raised, amongst' Citlwr questions, that of tJw new system n! physkal ctlucatinn in the S Stale schools, This tfoemi't; depftrtiu'c j in tire instruction of ytjijth. has been

sub jefrted since it was made to a ■ge.o'd- dc-a-1 of criticism, ami many attempts have been nutdo -by the Op}io-■sit.-ioH in Parliament; to discredit, it.

Without in any way attempting Uj drag thu nreiiibers of the Dat.hol.ie Federation into a political con-

trmersy, it may be poiwtc-t} out tuat their view is abi.aiutelv npriosf.cl la ilmfc of the critics ol i;h<! physical whmition kclicbib. The ftatur'ti of the

r«'i[ues.ta put forward lay yesterday's dsputatiou clearly shows that tie

i Catholic Federation has the highest opinion of ' the physical education system and of its value to'the youth of the country. The only complaint made was in regard to insu.ffie.ta.it facilities for crstoiKiing ihe benefits of the system fco'tke Catholic schools. Apart from Its 'main. purpose the deputation thus gave the .Minister of Education, a,ft unprejudiced testimonial to the value of the system which he inaugurated in face 6'f heavy criticism. but which is iiew firmly established' in popular favour. Tub "demonstration" made on Sunday last by those tippivs-fd to the movement in favour of a referendum on the (fucstioß of Bi'nle lessons in j State sohcnls passed, off very Weil, 'i'hoae apposed to the people being allowed t-o deride this matter for themselves have been very active, afid have- shown a. good deal of ingenuity in raising and magnifying objections to a referendum being' erantc-d, But the efforts ■ that are Being made to thwart the BibnvisMlwol's movement only serve to press ■home rlr: ecuividtoii that nothing but' a referendum can 'settle the controversy. If those in favour of Bible vending in schools are in a rnajority, ,j as they ix.-lkre ti : u?y afet they are not' likely to submit to . a minority verdict- against then;-- and . that is ■' ; what a refusal of the referendum would amount to. If, en. the other; ■hand, the majority of t-ho people dc--sire the jircseat strictly _ secular system to ccmtiiiue,' they will have the opportunity at saying so Ayiicn the vote is taken, arid' .their wishes will lie obeyed. The agitation for. the right to a direct vote 011 _ this. question hag such ffia-gnitocle that it cannot be ignored. Softie- Occasion invi'st be arrived at, unless our education system is to be alimukl to sw.ffer by reason of the indefinite prolongation 'of the eo)itroversy j and the only decision that is likely to .lie; accepted as authoritative and final is that of the people themselves. The litile surprise .sprung by the' lie form 'Party in connection with tfee candidates' fclioseli the Wl- j Mngfcon Soirfli -and Wellington Snimrbs seats, we suspect, will .not; he \-ery much enjoyed b;y the AntiHeforin groups. sh;. J, P. Lukv. has; had a eliaiice of proving his mettle during the , past JS months, and certainly has emerged from the ordeal extremely well In the City : his position has. been strengthened enormously, and lie is- so familiar with all parts of it awl with its re-' iiuirenients that it vvas fitting in the event of his being in- a position to. offer his services that it. should be, for a City constituency. llr. R. A. Wiiicar, who has been asked and has consefii' a to contest the Suburbs seat its one of the inust energetic can-iidates til? Reform Party possesses, and is eminently suited to. a wide-flung: electorate such as this.: fee is a tireless worker, and when a : nreitfi'er of tile House of Representatives a few years back proved him- i Self not only -a. capable, and ontsjrokon cleJiiter, but also a vigorous' -advocate of prsYg'ressrve ideas and possessed cf a lively regard for .the. advancement of the i'jjievests of'his j eonstituents. ■