N.Z. NATIONAL SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2298, 31 October 1914, Page 11

N.Z. NATIONAL SCHOOLS DEFENCE LEAGUE

A largely-attended meeting of the executive of the above League was held last night. Mr. A. R. Atkinson, president, occupied the chair. In viow.of the fact that Canon Garland, organisor of the Bible-in-Sehools League, had informed the Educational Comnittee that his League had some time ago- resumed operations, it was decided that the defence of the present national system should, if necessary, bo strenuously undertaken during .the ensuing elections, though the Defence League had withdrawn its organiser on the outbreak of war, and had no desire to raise any sectarian issue at tho polls. The executive expressed its great gratifica- . tion at tho highly satisfactory character of the report of the Education Committee, submitted to tho House yesterday afternoon, on tho petitions against the proposals of the Bible-in-Schools' League, as also at the decisive and significant .vote taken in the House in this' connection. It was felt -that the attempt made to delete the clause of the report expressing approval of the Nelson system, and thereby to furnish justification for continuing, the campaign of the Bible-in-Schools' League, met with the fate it deserved—being' defeated by 46 to 17. The committee recorded its heartiest thanks to Professor Hunter, for the effective- and masterly way in which he conducted the Defence Leaguo's case before the Education Committee.