CHURCH AND STATE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1405, 16 March 1905, Page 2

CHURCH AND STATE.

THE CONFLICT IN FRANCE. Per iR'.-M.S.- 'Ventura,. at AucklaiKL. in?h o rh° UV if r M } n X ßtty to **T' present bed h m| h r !! r 0f De P' Jtiefl a draft of the SSL®* 11 *" tho Be P°ration of Church and State. The measure has beeu anxious!v awaited, owing to the doubt raised bv the friends of the former Premier, M. Combes concerning the sincerity of the new Minis’ Wh' D T,! yin t g out {»•« Policy of separation. When, therefore, the Minister of Public Instruction, M. Bienvenue Martin, presented the BiIJ in the Chamber of, DepuThe LxTnf ?h B0 * Whh lo ° s “PPloosh. J-tie text of the new measure makes the separation of Church and Sta“ definul and conclusive, but omits a number nf details of, M. Combes’ Bill S had aroused antagonism. The essential points of the new measure aro Ist, the ahnli ticn of the concordat, whereby the rela--2°? a ° h f C^ ulci ? and State were established; 2nd, the termination of all Government Rid and subsidies to all religious sects and functionaries ; 3rd, the formation of church ab e tofh QS lnto ,°’ ;vil 00f amen The r;m / ama - aw aa other organisations. lhß .vf 1 , comprises twenty-three artioles " h the , arl i c]o ia follows -The State henceforth neither recognises nor contributes to any religious denomina tion. The public establishments of religion now existing are suppressed. AH religfous budgets of appropriation for Government apartments or communes are suppressed nnd ?£ OIS6 i Of rel, S lo n is hereafter free' under the sole restriction that its exercise must accord with the public order," The artiole abolishing the concordat says • All laws and orders relative to public organisation or recognition of rel Sous denominator! are abrogated, partioiifarly the law ratifying the convention made between the Pope and the French Govern “if ,“*• , I{ 18 expected that the new Bill will bo adopted m the Chamber of Deputies after the inoome tax and other meas ures, upon which P, smier Bouvierdemands early actiOD, have been adopted. How Cnmh iB * troa S pressure by the Combes element for speedy hearing, and this may lead to the determination fo take up anddeoate the Bill without awaitMe action on other measures. It ia Bill will be discussed and votod on before the end of July. on