BISHOP OF AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 894, 18 May 1903, Page 2

BISHOP OF AUCKLAND.

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS,

By Telegraph—Press Association. Well in gto n, Situ rd ay

Dr Neligan, Bishop Elect of Auckland, and family, arrived from London this morning. Ho was welcomed by Bishop Neville (Dunedin!, Archdeacon Caldor (Auckland), and Faccourt (Wellington). He leaves for Auckland on Sunday. Speaking to a Times reporter this afternoon Bishop Neligan made a few remarks on the question of Bible-reading in schools. Ho said that in England the Bible was taught even in board schools, and it was only in a minority that it was not. Reli-

gious ditliculty in England existed only on political platforms, lie would like to teii the people of New Zealand that the leading opponent of last Education Bill, not the London Dili, was Dr John Clifford, who was a Baptist. He was a parishioner of Dr Neligan, in London, and a great friend of his. At one time, when Anglican schools in the parish ware being rebuilt. Dr Clifford offered to accommodate some of the Department in premises of iris own. Whenever any difficulty existed as regards religious education in England it was through want of religion on the one side or the other. They had a conscience clause, as there always should be, and the conscience clause was very faithfully observed. Uut of 900 children in his own national schools he had never known an aggrieved parent during a period of nine years. He had never heard one complaint of proselytising in the north cr east of England, or in London. 110 came to New Zealand with an absolutely open mind as to local conditions, methods, or needs, but there was one thing upon which his mind was definitely made up, and that was that it was now as true as the day it was written that righteousness alone exaltetb a nation. Any Imperialism that was not built upon righteousness not only must come to au end, but deserved to come to an end. He was very glad to hear that tbe members of the Church of Rome felt so strongly as they did, and acted on their conviction upon the subject of elementary education. He respected any man who believed sufficiently in bis religion to pay for it, and to run risks for the sake of it.

Asked if he had anything to say to the people, Dr Neligan said his only word now was the same as it was when he accepted the Bishopric in November : “ I hope the people will pray that I may be a faithful Bishop,"