BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2198, 10 July 1914, Page 8

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

MDCCCDCNItIIM Bill ÜbbMbnlJUnl BILL

SYNOD TO MEET MR.: MASSEY

The Prime Minister (Mr'. Massey) has v decided to receive the" Synod of the •■' Diocese of Wellington, which, will in.; a body present to him the resolution, urging the granting'of the Referendum, which was passed by : the Synod on'' Wednesday evening. The Synod is to < meet Mr. .Massey to-day. ■'■.-....'•- •. '-\. . . . ' MANY RESOLUTIONS. -' •' •', : ,' ■: Resolutions, expressing' appreciation:'. of the action of the Government in-.'v.-bringing in the Referendum Bill requested by the Bible-in-Schools League .'■.■ have been passed by the Devoriport and Auckland West Methodist circuits, the *• East _ Street:' Methodist Mission, .the Methodist Gmrph at TeAvamutu, theHuntly Branch of the C.E.M.S., the ? Cambridge Branch' of, the ' Women's' League, and the Birkenhead Branchof .-,•; the League. ... 'a'; :.'■•,"'-';', '.'■ \ ■On Wednesday the Methodist quar-' :terly meeting of Nelson forwarded to tho. Premier and the member for the ■ district, Mr. Atmore, , a resolution'hear-v tily arid unanimously agreed to.'urgine ;■:■ the passing of the Referendum Bill, and thanking the: Government for/bringing it to its present stage. Significance is ' - attached to ; this resolution in;its-being ■■ passed in the home of the sys- -' tem. ~' ■■'■ : i : - ■■''.._■' ■■■ ■•-.'."•■ . ■.•'..■"■..

"At a meeting of. St. Matthew's ■.. Mothers' Union, Auckland, -held, last Thursday, at "which 80 women voters ■ were a 'resolution was _passed V thanking'the Government for the;; Referendum Bill, and urging the Auckland ■ . members of Parliament to support its passing as introduced.- Resolutions weren '. also last weekpassed by 'the Rotoraa and Cambridge Branches of the League, ,;■■■ and the PresbyterianV. congregation at Morins'villo. ■ :At • Christchurch ■the.- , Methodist quarterly meeting, of - Cambridge .Terrace circuit,, passed a like , : - : resolution, and called on the: member'v for the district-to >vote for the 8i11.i,: League meetings'held on Monday last af" ■;,-■ Lower, Riccarton,- -Kaiapoi, and South-. bridge passed the resolution. •■;. - ; ■ -On Monday last the quarterly meet-■■ y ing of the Methodist Church, Wadding-..; ton, also , carried the resolution. ..The. Willoughby quarterly\, meeting of'.tlrf Methodist Church unanimously called oj the member for; thedistrict to sup< . port the Bill as introduced, and thanked - the Government ifor'- bringing" it for-' ward. The Pcto.ne quarterly ' meeting . of the Methodist' Church onT Tuesday; last passed a similar resolution, unanimously. :.,v.. ';:;. '■"',■.:... '.:■ ■i-.^'.Vv-' : -.>---\; A ' .meeting; of - ; the ,- Bible : in-State- ; . ' .Schools.League.■Operating in tho Ma- ' taura electorate aiid'parts of Wakatipu and ; Clutlia electorates, and representing - : \ the combined Presbyterian, Anglican,, !■■ and Methodist Churches,'' the. Salv'ation ; ;■: -I Army, and' many membersVbf'other 're-:; ' ligiou's has' also passed ' " of:' appreciation.—Press As- . ■'.•.';'. .-'' : ~y" : v;-;'.;..;":' ■^>: i ''-'O' : ' \ OF; PROTJEST."^>: 'A. nuniber : of. 'petitions t protesting ..; against proposed onl'.-}. the question of instruction, in schools were presented to the Houso of , '■ Representatives; yesterday., .'Three.were : further•instalmeiits'of ; the.petition froiii >. the Catholic: Clergy: and : Cathoh'c :Fpd- ' v erated societies';:-;'' Thosb-were-by the'Hoh: r A. , L'.':Herdmari (1168 sig-" ' (natures), Mr.,T;Mi ; ,Wilford. (408 sir- /: natures), and Mr. : F.-,'H;iSmith'(2Bß '" signatures). ; :Two others;Jwer'e^tinetal-;;■'.) ments of, the ■ petition circulated by: the' Nationab Schools Defence/League. -They 1 were presented by the Hon.F. jVI; B. Ksher. (1836 signatures), and' Mr. W. A. ' Veitcli (1434 signatures).. In every in. stance the petitions came from the eleoi torate3. represented by the member-pre senting them".•'••' ■ ';, ..■■•■■••.■■ ;■.";-.;:.;:-;.- ■■'■.-..• THE LABOUR CONCRESS. ;7 '"> '■'.-'■ LVTERVIEWED BY PROFESSOR ' HUNTER. ■■:■, ;■■■- ■/■::/. Professor. Hunter,; representing ; the National Schools Defence League,'waited .■'- i on the Labour Congress yesterday.' and ' : in a brief speech to the delegates said: : ; "Tho reason I am here persoiially : is : because' I realise that this is a business v\-' organisation;-arid that '.your is -vval-.'-!.' uaDle.'. There are 'two aspects, of; the ( case.'which-1 should like to place before '■. you: :■;'■ :j ::■ ; '-'' '■■ i' .'';.-v> ? ■'-'■'■'';.' '■','.■■'■'.'■:■

: j "(1) Wβ/should like you toodeclare against .tlie-'system, Vwliich an attempt is being made;.to introduce into ..our schools. '■ ■■:.'■■. .'■■"■ .'.';■- ;: ' ;: VoV ' i : "■.■ v'

; ."(2)-We realise tliat Labour organisa- r ; tions are somewhat: in a difficulty, -be- ', ,\. cause/ almost -a; whole they : favour •■.'.-',' the referendum; 'but we contend .that a' v majority has no right to. coerce a niin- '■' ority in'religious matters. ;;Matters>of •'■:..■ religion .should be outside'" fhevreferen-,/■■■'-, dum. ; No good comes ..of, a' majority.V coercing a minority." ■•.'■■ ■'■-.■[ vi : \ ::'■"-./•' , ■ It was 'resolved that a yoteof ; thanks- v be accorded Professor Hunter for. the < brief i but concise manner in which '■■ he , •■ had iplaced the matter'befpre-tho con- ; \ v ference, and that" tho : decision of con- < ference; would ■;■ be forwarded^.to,Profes- ■'-'.■ sor'Hunter later. ,-'■.. '■'. ■ ,;)-S-: .'■.- ;;.■'■