BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2206, 20 July 1914, Page 6

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

HEADMASTERS PROTEST CONSCIENCE CLAUSE ASKED FOR TEACHERS. At its annual meeting on Saturday morning,. the members of the Head- ■ master? Association of, Wellington ex-' pressed some opinions on' the subject of the Bible-in-Statc-Schools. The discussion arose out of the remarks, cf the chairman (Mr. W. T. Grundy), on' 1 the Religious Instruction in State Schools Referendum. Bill. Mr.. Grundy said he thought,the members of the association should vory carefully avoid any religious disturbance ■ amongst themselves, . but ho felt it necessary to refer to one aspect of the matter.- 'As headmasters they were bound' to protect the interests not only of themselves, but of the teachers working under them. Consequently, where they found that disabilities were being incurred by any teachers it was their Business to speak, out and defend them. There were in the : profession Jews and Roman Catholics, possibly Unitarians and others; there might be Agnostics. These people, who had entered the service as teachers under a secular /system, should be protected, They were told they would not be_rer quired to undertake ■ religious teaching, but they, knew \better: they knew it would bo required .of them; and they should be given.a conscience clause, so that their religious difficulties could receive that consideration which at this period of the world's history was, abso-lutely-necessary. They were bound to. demand as a body of' teachers that' so much should be doue at least'-for those who.-were now in. the service. " y'v ..At"a'later stage in the meeting, Mr; W. H. -A. Foster moved: '.'That:this-' meeting respectfully requests the Hon.: J. Allen to secure in the Religious Instruction in' Schools Referendum' Bill {aconscience 'clause, for teachers, also vto secure such interpretation of the; extentand limitations of the clerical right of entry (sought in the said Bill) ass.would. conserve to head teachers their present' responsibility for the maintenance of the discipline. of the schools and their present authority,pver their staffs, both, permanent and itinerary." Ho said the headmasters had a perfect right to see that the rights'.'of the. staffs'-were con-:' served';' and;it was specially necessary to have the clerical right of entry pro-.; perly defined.. - ; :'-■:. - •_. ■■■''/';: Mr. H. A. Parkinson said lie, : did not altogether like theidea of the conspience clause.. -If the Bill "was; .passed, all teachers would:bo treated alike; but if a. conscience clause jvas included, a coii-. ecientious-teacher would feel bound.to make use of '% and this would in many, cases mean i:, pr6fessional suicide; The proposed clause would place aserious disability upon'them. . • : ' .1.. , Mr. T. C. Webb said there were : ..teachers: who: Were ready to choose-be-tween professional suicide and profes-sional-hypocrisy; and he did not think' they should object to giving the opportunity to so choose.' (Hear, hear.) ..-. Mr. Foster; said that undoubtedly if there was no conscience clause there were, Roman Catholics and Jews in the .service who would: have,, either to be-cc-mo hypocrites or commit professional suicide ,ip. the- way Mr. Parkinson had 1 suggested. . ' --, . ';".' ' /The motion was carried unanimously. APPRECIATIONS CONTINUED; ' I At a meeting of the Women's League 'for.the Canterbury-Westland Province, with a membership of.,over 22,000 women, held in Christchurch on Friday, a strong, protest was,-entered- against; . "the entirely unworthy 'ahd'unwarfant-' cd attack-made, by the Hon. John Barr upon, the women ; of:' New Zealand,supportuig the :, . Bible-in-State'-Scliools League," and a, resolution was,, also passed expressing-tho utmost confidence and- trust, in' Canon;; Garland, as the leader of the movement. ' ■ : - _ Resolutions/supporting the Bill havp been passed' by meetings of the Methodist ' congregations of Hamilton, East Methodist' Church arid the , Frankton Methodists! The parishioners of'Phillipstown; the residents of Orari, the St. Paul's Church of England Men's Society, Auckland, tho Bible-in-State Schools League branches of Amberley and Waikan and the'' Women's Branch of the League,,Manu- : kau, Auckland, passed similar resolutions. : : ■ '.1 At a' meeting of the . Whangarei Branch of, tho' Bible-in-State-Schools Leaguo a. resolution was nassed expressing appreciation of,the -Government in introducing the Heferehdlim Bill. Similar resolutions .; have also been passed by the quarterly meeting of the Paeroa Methodist Church; the Paeroa and Manukau Branches of the Women's-League for Bible in Schools, and the trustees, of, the Karangahake Methodist Church". > - '.'■■.. CHRIsfcHURCH. RESOLUTIONS, (Br Telosraph.—Prert: Anspciation.) ' Christchurch,'July: 19! 'At an open-air public meeting, addressed by the Hon. J! Barr, tho Rev. .Williams and Mr. J. Caughley, the following resolution was arrived at on the motion of the Rev. J. Laird, seconded by'the Roy. H. A...Job:—"That this \ meeting of citizens 'of Christchurch strongly protests against the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill, and urges, all members of Parliament of •Cliristchurch and ■ suburbs . 'to '-vote .against the 1 second reading, on the following grounds.:—(l)' The.injustice.injustice of its proposals; (2) the unfairness of the proposed method of voting; and (3) tho menace to religious liberty when a-reli-gious matter involving acute sectarian differences of:belief is to be settled by a majority:vote irrespective of justice or injustice. NORTH CANTERBURY TEACHERS. (By -Tclezrar^i'—P™™ K'soc<<vt\oa •' .'■ Christchurch.. July 18. The subject of Bible-teaching in the public schools and the referendum proposed to be taken were discussed at the annual meeting of the North' Canterbury Educational Institute this morning. .■Mr;'A. T. Maxwell'moved: "That white we ,are heartily in accord with any just and righteous means of giving -religious instruction to children, we strongly oppose the form of religious instruction proposed under the Religious Instruction Referendum Bill:—(l) Bccauso.the State'would be satisfying the consciences of some and would refuse to satisfy the conscience of others. > the State-sup-ported institutions would bo used and State control given to propagation of religious doctrines and idogmas which are opposed fci the, belief of many taxpayers. (3) Because, though it .is admitted that all Scripture teaching would he such' as'.entitles parents to tho conscience clause, no conscience clauso is provided:.for teachers. (4). Because political action can only be taken on compromise, and expediency.,which are the .'direct' antithesis of religious action, this is. We consider, deKraded when dealt with politically. (5) Because we object to any unjust method of promoting Bible-teiichina, since the/frhole of. Bible-teaching is against justice. and.(6):becnuse we believo tliat the liberties of all are in the liandfi of a-,,judicial, responsible, unbias"d body'likc Parliament than in the conflict- of sectarian struggles that would result .in takinga referenclum on sectarian. lines. \ For the above and other reasons wo arc stronalv ooposeti to the proposed scheme lis unjust and unrighteous, and beg .that Parliament will refus'o to lend itself to the introduction of.sectarian distinction" in tho. expivditiiro. of-State .moneys." ~' The motion, was carried unanimously.