100 TO 2.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2197, 9 July 1914, Page 8

100 TO 2.

THE REFERENDUM BILL,

APPROVED BY SYNOD.

"LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE."

', A-< discussion which touched, on the subject of the Referendum Bill on the Bible-in-Schools question took.place at the Anglican Syiiod yesterday. His Lordship the Bishop of Wolliiigton (Dr. Sprott), presided;:-'.; V Mr:_E.'F;'Hiidfieid; moved :—■ 'v; "That the. Bishop,' clergy, ' and .'■;■■/ Jaifcy of .tho Dioceso.of We'lhiigtoii. ■:.'iin .-Synod Assembled express appro- .' ; 'CJationof the. actipii of the Govern-, n'ient'in iiitrpducihg, andof Parlia•'ment:iii carrying through its- first '-': ■. reading,.'the Religious • Instruction .Referendum Bill containing the pro- ' posal requested by the churches con-', ; ; stitutiiig the League, and which . '; has-.been .endorsed by 144,000 elec- ' ■■:'- tors, or persons qualified., to " bo .: prelectors." ■: ''.": '': ';■; ■-■'■' -f,.'.'That,tlns:S,vnocl. points-dufc tliat -.: members of Parliament arc not'b'e- , ing; asked to introduce religious in- ' struction into tlic.'.Statoschools, hut . '- aro ; only. - beiiig' asked; to allow the-, ..,; peoplei to 'express at the hallot-box . '■' .;■ their!. wishes .for or against'' a. par.- . ', ticular system of .religious;instruc...tion in State schools; moreover; the. . ■ League;is, asking for; alterna- ; ; tive/proposals,but ; for' one "system, "■." :' : ,which, 'when introduced,elsewhere, ■' '-. has proved;so .satisfactory to tho ..; vast, majority of:i the-people', that' it ■" .has never -'bceri- disturbed." .. :' '

"That this Synod .expresses the eaiiicst'hope tliat ■ Parliament will 'oiiij tlnough all its stages during the pi escut session of Parliament the Bill as.introduced, in'ico'mpli/ ance with-the -wishes of so many thousoiuls .of ;the electors "of : the Dominion ";-.' ;'. ■-■:;'; : .

| ; ...-.-.:Mr.;.' ;Hadfield : .' confined his re-. marks'to the question of the .-referent dunT:',':,,The- pr'ese'nt. position, ■ he said, was,, tolaXlarge; extent, ;unldoked;for: No; one had -thought that' in ■' one short year. ? ;the- could ! have; -b'e<ui : 'brought into its present, .prominence, but; they_ had not then experienced the extraordinary,:, energy' and •'; • organising capacity; off Caiiou. had ■'.; now;, been:. suddenly/' sprung : upon. Parliament,' >niajiy; of;, the.-' members :df: which 'were entirely-unprepared for it. ; . ;Some;;M,R.!s;.were : :■oaiiglitv'in-a.. cleft; stick,"for iiHthevpast' ..edflpi'riioiis.o'n'''the:merits-of'the-Bible-' in-Schbdls ijiroposak; STt'vvouldVv'howr. oyer;"/be'. irrelevant'iiow;;to discuss the; Bible^in-Sbhools" ; ]>i'oposul, .because''■ the question-; for.;,the 'moment 'wa's .the' refere'ndtim:":: v Tiie;- : pdint ■was*'that 144,000 people had: asked;the Government: to let the^e'qjjle'e^re>s : 'th'eir. r opmi6ris'-6ri-th6.-subject. : .He:.; approved: the> .attitude, of Mr.'G. Hunter, M;P ; ,who said that; ■while; he, was .opposed "to -tlie' Bible-ijii ■ Schools',.he wxiuld vote for the Referen;dum^Bill..'-' If Parliament;'!ipassed"- the Bill;v : it : .would thereby keep .the' issiio, apart from tTie;turnioil of'partv'iwlitics;. but,.if it-'did hot; it ivould.throw the question into the-eatildroiiiit tho noxt election. ..(Applausei): ; : . : ;>'' v ::'' "v.; '':\-,¥r. ; ; ; D.<M. Yeaf.s?(Lower Hutt),'a" re'-' tired; school .teacher, "said,'that it - would be'aii absurd position if, after the nation 'had said that 'a Bible was to be taught' ,in; the :Jscliools,'.-,thbse' who' were -there for ;the. purpose. 1 of; teaching'should ■ re-; fuse, to; carry /out the -will, of tho' nation.

'•;.'-' :J. Rev. R.'.; H % Hobday Dissents. said'that he; was of the opinion -that it i was,w.rong--,tb /endeavour.to capture th& machinery ,qf A tbe.Statefschools to"'teach 1 i>hat;. the, parents,: had /failed,' to. instil l.;ntp:th 1 s I phiiareii.''lf .parents hau.faijwl' ma /religious'd-uty, tho.; remedy' should: be -sought 'in. some-form .of religious rival..: A majority, however, strong)had : no right to demand that a minority should .adopt, those tactics 'whicli'appeared most | (suitable to s . the furtherance, of the aim's' of .the majority. -.- The object of a' Chris-tian•"population-Mniakuig: laws slioukl .surely :bo;to se'e-'that those ;]aws .wero j more; and more Christ-like in : character/ 'tat not to makelaVs'.thatimore so-called I Christians might be created: theroby.' Christians were;not,to be made by Uiwv Experience had'proved this .method to' !be;.wrong and persecution of heretic's, Acts of Uniformity,: Test Acts :'etc.\;,-. : <.- - ■,;.-.".-r,,-'.:" 4 .|'.-.-:;: : .'.■■•" .V.\-' '■• '/.-'-*. ..':. <) Mr. ;G. Shirteliffe rose point' of order.- They -were not discussing the merits of tho 1 Bible-ih-schbols question, ■but,the matter-of: the' Referendum", and therefore.Mr.- Hobday was 'liot in order. : (Applause:)- ', ■'•?■'■'■'■■ ~•■<:,■ ■-"■'•.■-•;'.

The Bishop ruled tlint Mr. Shirt-' cliffe's interpretation of the motion was correct, and uphold tho point of older. (Applause.) Mr. Hobday continued his spoech, and concluded by saying that 1$; endeavoured to'look at the question as lie would wish he had considered it on the day on which he stood before the Great White Throne. If, however, inconsequence of his words and actions he heard the Master drive him from Him, lie would have theconsqlation of : being in. the excellent find inteiesting company of (among otheis) Aichbishop Temple, Archbishop Redwood, Bishop Goio, Bishop Cleaij, Sn Robert Stout, Sir Couan\Doyle, Professor Hunter, Rev R T Campbell, and Mi G K Chesterton Mr. Hobday moved. "That whereas, according to. the ';. Divine,order and the experience' of ■-:'. • ..the .Church iii :every. age, home; and'. •'■ ~;;the family oircle/.fu'rnfsli'.the first,'. . : and by :far the best,'-opportunity for : . ' bringing'the children to.the feet 0f.,.:.' ,V CJirist,■ and ; .whcrcas?-tlio 'introduc/•'. • ;tibn into-the"Statedschools "of ■ selec;"..tipns' r from the/Bible to be .taught, ',■:•; riot as Holy Scripture, ablo to make ..:■. ;-.•■■ the- children .wise unto..salvation,'■ ■vthrqugh : ;faith'.which, is in -.Christ \;r Jesus,; .but 1 : merely. as .literature, is 1 , a '; .an..'unwarranted, abrogation."of ; the. '■'• ....Church's duty; as -teacher,', aiid.'-from , '-. - V political".standpoint, lof ■ < very ~ doubtful utility, this Synod regrets ivthat ;tho'. Church's .- attention and. i'energy should have .been so largely' ' .; .diverted from.what' is primary; and ' /essential.in. the Divine., order, .and;. ",{ 'directed to an orideavour to make up '• i by- 'outside, help for what she .has ;' ,\ failed ;,to :do'.(if silo has failed), by..:. ■'..■ '.lack. ; of-f aith 'in - - her own inherent ';■'spiritual power." ... :-;: '■■',;•.. 'J -Tliis amendment.was not ; seconded..' ■. ;;;..-;. Another Objector. "■';: •..-.. ::;. The Roy: D; -C. Bates; (Wellington), ;wli(/ had worked \ in -New. South -Wales for i seven-years, and regularly visited .the.schools.as.Xa; teacher;; said thaf'it - wasi.'casy": to declare \tliat there Was no frictioivin.the Australian State, for the 'question was flat, 'and; stale, and dead oyer there.7 The clergy, as -a whole, he. added, took little in the teaching, -which was usually relegated to some paid.-.cateohist,"-.who wasMisunllv a very ill-informed person. ; He "wished:, tho question weredoad hero, because it was pvqducingja.bitter crop'of religious'dif T ;ferences, arid; was doing<; incalculable harm/to religion. ..-•. .-,.'. ~";.■

;' Shortly..after this; Mr. Bates was. interrupted/on a' point of; order, and the Bishop,asked .him -to. : keeu to the ino'tioii*/^''; ';.;.,= 7;> ■', ■•'.:.. -•','"■'••■■ V'.'.

% Cdntiniiing,; >fr.. .Bates asked if: ..the ulergy :!iad':i.iot..enoligh to do.' already. ])id:thev : a,sk for more work?: (A voice-": Yes,.): : Tn:NPM'. Zealand, where we had ijiot '.. tlie Bible.: in schools,- we had not the; G'ontino.ntal Sunday '(which- Sydney had), wo were without' various other "excrescences., we: had life, and more religious tolerance-than there vvere-in New- South Wales. -In New FMlth Walesrthero wus rivalry between ■fh.ri-'variouß.'Prbtßßtaut; teachers, aud if :

the system were introduced here, there would.bb moro'.bittcrness between Protestants and'.Catholics.. Let them discard this Hag oE: undenomi.nationalism, and.stick.to their own religion'.' : ~Let;tho ministers- preach better,Vsermoiis, and tlicv parents teach their children uetter. ; "Let the People Decide!" . Mr, G. Shirtcliffe remarked that Mr. Hobday and Mr. Bates had been given much" more- latitude than they were entitled to. (Hear, hear.) As a j democrat; ho ' could only say on the question of the desirability.of the Re- , ferendnm Bill:; "Let the people decide." It was a, question which entered into the lives of. the whole of .the people," and therefore, the people should be allowedtp - express their opinions. The question had*arisen amongst people, and not in Parliament, and it was the people, who were asking' Parliament to let them decide it. Ho thought that-they should pass.the motion. ■' (Applause.) ~_ The Rev. Mr. Mitchell (Taihape) said that he had had- experience 'of the system-in Now South Wales. Ho questioned the accuracy of the information of.Mr..Bates. ' ' ■•

Mr. .IS.,P."'-Mount-ford' (Mnstorton) said that it was : -unfair to make certain comparisons between New South Wales and Victoria, New South Wales did not start out, similarly to .Victoria: 'if it had, thore nfight have been' a differ-ent-result.' for what-was bred in tho bone woifld come out in'the flesh. • . It was only'fair,'according to Mr. C. P. Powles (Wellington); that the people .should--have an opportunity of expressing their .opinions on this-question. '.- '-/' Canon Speech. (: .'The organiser for the Bible-iri-Schoo]B : League. (Canon Garland) said that the General Synod' had pledged .'itself to support ,tbe Bible-in-Schools movement, and to that end had entered into an agreement; with. other Churches,, and vefr two membcrs ; of this'diocesan Synod had /endeavoursd to. induce this body to repudiate the,undertaking;-'--. Replying .to' Mr.: .Bates; Canon: Garland said that ho. had never heard of the instruction books lying unused in. the cupboards of;theschools. 'Mr. -fiates had 'very. few. clergymen visited the State.schools,'.but the fact was'that' .in. New; South .Wales lasf.year there had/been. 57,000 visits. The speaker said /that, ho'wished-to rebut any idea : that the Church of England liar beeii.-al-most ''established'! in New South- AVales. Ho.wont on"to say that every Englishspeaking' part of. the Empire, ■ except . ,9. w . e^'.an i : made: some, provision for religious instruction in connection wit-h----its "educational,system.: It was' time Wo came into lino with- the flag, under ■which we'-lived/': (Applause:) Ho.felt that; tlio Synod was ,determined to see justice done to tlio: majority, and no iii-to/the.-minority.::. (Hear,, hear.) What, was /tfe-logipal differenco between Parliament."taking -a< referendum among .its';: members,; and the -people, taking a' referendum'?-, ..-Paiaiameiit/'liad' already affirmea.. and'.Vrenffirmecl,-the principleof.the.rcfefeiidum,.'and if itjrejecte'd'-the-Bill iww-:,befqr.e;. it, .if .would stultify .its'former/acts.; 'In'l9o3'''a'h'd , :i9oa'-.the"-. late,Mr;: Seddon had put.'a:"geheral i Re-, ferendnm; .-VBill -,; thfough'.'-'the ', Lower House, and' that Bill had specially .covered and/: included the,, Bible-in-' / -; ]':■ ■ ;. '■■.- '';■;;; A'Mysterious Leaflet. Canon! Garland then wcnt.oh to .deal with. Leaflet No: ■ 7, recently . issued by,--the; New: Zealand National Schools •Defence. League;;: He said that immediately .: he"' saw - this. leaflet: ho .cabled. as: follows (oh/July, 2). to'; Sydney :■■ .: . ••"■•;.','': ;"■ '• .'..!' Director-Education, '.. . ■'"..' ■' ■ ..". : -.-'' -:" : -''' '.. , '.'Sydney: ' '..:: ."Statement published that, AVilk- '. ins,/secretary.//-Education; -Council, '■■■;,:'Jiily - ,.-10P0 j ;'iss'ued-.circular 'against'.. /•Ministers.proselytising in .visiting": /..classes'. -Please'cable'date Wilkins's ■ -death, date.circular referred to, and , ' its 1 purport;/;:'::.;:,.':' " -'> :--:'CANON GARLAND." . ;::The reply, which'Was'dated July, 7,. -was contained in' the 'following cable-:—> >',;/' ''Mr.. Wilkiiis/.retired' 1884, died' .1892,.-.could not therefore have:is- :/; -sued- : circular-:referred'- to'- by :■:■ you,, ':,' which'cannot!he identified. ; : •■'' ■'■ /:>/<-:::v:'!'P.:BoAE,D,;':;'-■:':,' .'.",-;: ;' w / ; ':':.'■ ■;-.; •■'Direcfordf-Education,':'.■••. f":-:;\. .' ; ";:■. V ; " Sydney, '':'. Jluch laughter' and loud applause followed tho reading, of/.the reply; ' -'•. •. :,.' Canon ;Garland,. continuing 'his: 'address,, pointed 'out that the,laity' in,tlio -Synod, representing ..various classes. of men,-wore for. the/motion, and that the only voices raised against; it wore those of;two: 'clergymen; Ho- concluded with tho declaration', that they 'would-giyeiio rest, and take-no rest,,until the Bible w-as hpnoured and taught in tho schools. (Applause.)".'. ■ ■">■;•'. ' : . :..[ ''■''';, -. /Synodi. Divides.-. '-Mr:: T. F.; Martiir. (Wellinfiton) ex-' plained the provisions of-tho ;Bill.;\He' : . said thatif:a referendum :was taken the answer;of the-pcorjle would be laid,.on' tho table of.tho House. -The Bill pro-' vidod for nothing; more.. •;.-'.',-' ~-. , "■The. Rev. Mr. Bates, by way of personal •-explanation, v said that; when he, was, in : New South '/Wales lie, was ■ acquainted'with at least OOschobls. Canon Garland said that : there had been 57,000 visits of clergy to. the schools,in :New.South 'Wales during tli.e past .year. This,would l ..inrn,.out :to" : -show.;'that ho ,(Mr. Bates) iyas/correct in; saying "that .very fe\v ; yisits: had. been.; made ...if the: total 'were' reduced to the number per day, spread, over the whole'' of, the' clergy in the' State. ■:, ':■'

Canon Garland, here objected to Mr... Bates's remarks''on the.ground that: they . constitutedV-how. matter. (Ap--plause.) '., ■'■•■ '•■■;;,.-•, : ' : : "■'.-'.. The. Bishop,upheld_the objection, and "resumed,his seat.-:-'.■': I -;■-"-'■ After Mr. Hadfield had replied very briefly, a .'.-division;. on the motion was taken, and,the result.was announced as follows:— 1 > ; ' ;;;:^.-'--. ; .,. : , ;;v -, : ■■■'. : '.Clergy- ...;.;:..;...... ..... ....... ..54 ■';;'■..'.' ;'.:•• .Laity ' ;. ; :...;......;...;....;.....' 46 ";-.' ';;.^;. ; '.''Totar;':\:.;!...\;.;-.^..v^'-iOO:V/,, ;''-'^.,./■'■/.": '; f against:,.-.".''."-' • -Clergy .;...;...:;......:..„.'..... 1-. . Laity' \ \:\v1',i;:i..u.; : .\.;\.....'.;-; : ;;l '.:;: . v"" ( T0tai;:;;..:.....-......:.. .2. .- "THY WILL BE DONE." r : ■ ; ptiesbyterian minister's <r ":;..-- ;; ','.■■•: .declaration.: ■; . ' - : (By Teleerttßli.—Bre«lal Corrtsnondent.) . -'■'■„,■■■;.■.-'"■ 'f '■. '-.'. Duhedin, July 8. ■ The" following statement by the Rev, G, H. Balfour, of First.Church, was made to a member of the staff of the "Otago Daily, -Times," and' appears.iii to-day's issue:— ■''■. "I believe "'in .the platform, of the Bible-in-State-Schools League '—/.tho whole of it,"; said Mr. Balfour, "and this, after 25 years of thouglit and consideration. I believe it is the fairest system 'yet .devised, and I believe, it would bo the right system for England, where the Presbyterian Church is in : such a minority. I believe in the second part of the platform, not because another church wishes it, but because I think it is right and good and fair; Tain thankful that the Referendum Bill' is, before Parliament; and ''sincerely hope it will pas 3. I pray to God that -He ,will «o direct the hearts -of our legislators that His 'will may.be done. ,1 sincerely trust that what is best,for ■the children and for tlie nation and-for the glory of God may be- achieved. We all. .wahfr.-this, and, nothing more. Our prayer is,:- .'Thy Kingdom come, Thy -AViti he (kue ■in Earth as it is in Heaven.' ". ....

A resolution has been passed by the quarterly mooting of the '. Hokitilca Methodist Church,; appreciating the action of the • Government, and calling upon.Mt\. T. K. Y. Seddoii, M.l'., to support the Bill as introduced. -.'.• Resolutions' of. appreciation also were-

passed by■' supporters of 'the ' Bible-in-Schools League on Monday at Papanui, and at Lyttelton". The women electors in CJiristchurch North, at a meeting held last Friday, passed "a similar rcso> lution. At a meeting /of the Bible-in-Schools League, held at Kaiapoi on Monday last,' a resolution': was ■unanimously carried expressing grateful appreciation of the work of Canon Garland, and assuring him of the-'entire confidence and ■support of the League. ROMAN CATHOLIC OBJECTORS. 'RESOLUTIONS AND PETITIONS'! | .A petition signed by Roman Catholicclergy and members of tho. 'Catholic Federated Societies, to the total number of 1313, protesting against the proposed Biblc-in-schools referendum, was presented to the House of-Representa-tives yesterday by Mr; VJ: ,A. Veitch, member for Wauganui.■■'"., The petition was in effect a sheaf of petitions, on printed forms,which are evidently being 'circulated for signature, i It is described as "The'.-petition .of the Catholic. Archbishop and Bishops and-clergy of Now Zealand, and of the Catholic l , federated societies; representing hereon Catholic lay electors' of New Zealand."- Generally, the text of the, petition sets forth-objections to tho passing- of legislation enabling "a plebiscite; miscalled a'referendum," ■ to be taken on .the proposal to introduce into the public schools';of :New. Zealand a system of religious instruction in .operation in New. South Wales and certain other States of Australia. _, .CATHOLIC; FEDERATION. '.'."" , (By T*ießr'n.ph.r-Pre»'' ■ Association-.) . Core, July 8. At a meeting of the Gore branch of the Roman Catholic Federation, a resolution was- carried unanimously, -and decided to be: forwarded to:the member foi. the district and .to 'the of -Education:- •':':•;■:'' ' '!.:-./■■ ■ -'"': ''■' "That this':meeting,;,-representing 1500 Catholics of Gore, strongly: pro-, tests, against the: proposed '/referendum; on the; question of Bible-in-schools on' ; thefoliowiiig''grounds :'(1) That taking such a,'vote as proppse'd will be' strictly subversive of the. rights of a large section of the (community/inasmuch' as it ,KOuld be an effort to settle a pure,question of -conscience ;.by- a; majority .vote; (2)'- that; ijhe 'proposal, is/' an,'.,-attempt, by asectibn of the people to foist upon the public a narrow and selfish sectarian scheme without regard to'the: conscientious , objections of minorities; , (3) that - the-/State, .as such, has no authority to' teach-religion. ■-' /Such a referendum; if carried in-the 'affirmative, would be a. mandate to/ the '-Govern-, ment both ; to ; frame aiuLteach at the: public'cxpeiise/a,State.:.rcligipn.": % ;■ ';■ /'-■' It, was- ':at: ;\a : "social" .in connection'" with the'; Roman: Catholic-Federation this ■-■evening, .'that "This mass meeting of Roman Catholics, under the Auspices of.theChrisfchurch Diocesan Council of the-Roman.CathoEc Federation, .representing: 'Roman Catholic votefs ; o^C-anterlniry, : land,' in common 'with 80,000 ■ .Roman Catholic voters;, of tho Dominion, whilo (thoroughly. appreciating/the'.efforts; of. non-Roman Catholics .to •(provide; moral teaching. based r tipoii religious principles in schools, emphaticallv protests against the introduction of Bible reading into" State schools, and against: the proposed referendum; on the question, as a viokr ,th'e.Ti<;htsr,of;: conscience ;of .a large section pf .citizens, an injustice to' teachers.-ail iniquitous proposal to tax all- people /to ;pa*y' : for the.; teaching of 'religion acceptable to certain denominations onlyjandutterly*opposed.to.the helief-s: of\'otliers.; ; Vahd'that;. copies: of. this resolution.'-.: :be',' forwarded, ,to-,.tli.e Prime Minister and to the Leader of tiie Opposition, and members -represent-; ing' the districts,"-.;.-■■-,:■.;..'. ' ■-.'; .',:';. .: , ;-DargaviHe, July_B. ; ;A; riioeting of .'delegates pf ,the Kaipara branches' of the(:New( Zealand' Catholic Federation'at'DargavilleVpassed. strong. resolutions protesting against the-Refer-. end-urn; Bill on the Biblc-iri-Schools question.' '■ :i- ■'. '. ; -,:'■'■.:'- • ':•' '"•■'

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY '» Timaru, July 8 The Timaru hianch of tho Hibernian Society, at the half-yeailv meeting, at which theie was a large attendance, passed uinmnKwislv a lesoluiion pretesting against the Referendum Bill as uiged by the Bib'e-m-Schools League

(Br Toleeraßh —Pro-« Assoctation )

: ■■(■' ::-I''/' : '^---''.v-'.- T ' mar ''>-'.^y'-7,''!-' ; ' Clorgymeii at Geraldinohaye.b'een.in the habit of. giving-one/day,: a' \yeek Bible;lessons to a;iargo.:proi)brtion.:of children--(87- ptr cent: has beau. 1 , men-tioned)-before school -hours,, tho school opening for secular work at 9.30. Recently the committee.decided' that the school hours should begin at 9 o'clock. Tho. ministers, by pointed' out the inconvenience of giving' lessons before 9 o'clock or after/ school, and the committee have ".since agreed to allow the/secular work-to beginat 9.30.0n one day a week, and' 1 to, close (as usual that dayjit 3 ; o'clock./;--;. ; '-.'.-: : "..'-. ".;-.;■■•;■ : ',■".'