Correspondence.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 May 1912, Page 4

Correspondence.

[Our correspondents' opmlona are Jheir own; re&poiidilnut.j i>t Klitonul onus inaKt>« uutbenjut bulUuit tor the editor'a stiouMera.j BIBLE TEACHING IN .STATE SCHOOLS. (To tlio Editor). Sir,—The time has now fully come tor the lriends ol Bible teaelMng in .State schools at over the dominion to take active steps to (secure a referendum. 1. 'J hrco-foiH'tliK of the Population Agreed. Threo of the largest religious bodies in this country—>thc Afiglicans, Presbyterians ar.tl Methodists —- are now agreed as to what should be done. All these three bodies liavo declared in tavoiir of introducing into the dominion what is known «s the New South AYales System of Religious Teaching in Simte School*;. They have done this deliberately, in their supreme ivHKeniblies—the Anglicans, in January, 1910, the Presbyterians, in November, 1911, and -felie Methodists in Mar©h, 1912. 'ItJiis is a tremendous Advance, thank God, the like of which has never tacit reached lief ore.

11. In Favour of the N.S.W. System. The system whi#i th«*ie tfiree bodies have agreed upon fc a well-tried system. It hits been at work in New South AYales since 1860; in Tasmania, since 1868; in AVe«teni Australia siiiae 1893; in Norfolk Island since 1906; and in Queensland since 1910. It may already be well-called the " Australian .System" ; and hood, let us hope, it will morit to be turuied "Austrolaaian." It ensure* twN things: (I) Bible toachiug being given, in schodl hour*, in every school in the .State, by the Sfltybv teachers, to the childjren trf snali parent# as desire it; and (2) opportunity for ttupplementary religioTTs teaching given, in school Ifonrs, in all schools, by ministers oT all denominations, bo tin* children of their respective peoples. 111. Ret'erondiini Demanded 1 mmediafcely.

The that will probably now be 1 olio wed by the throe religious bodies named is to demand timt the <1 nest ion of the adoption oi' the X.SW . sybtem bv referred inunedjately fro the people. A JJi'ble in sohools Jleforondum Bill should immediately he introduced into Parliament, and made law as soon as p new bio. But who is to he made responsible for swing this doneH The suggestion of the writer is that the oiiuk he thrown on every member of the new Parllanieiijt to do his proper share. This will involve each electorate doing its own part in the first instniicr. Each electorate shonld petition its own member. The members individually will thus be interested. It is waste I of time petitioning Parliament col- ,

lect'ivrly - the electors must go to the particular individuals, on whom they each have special claims, if any. thiiiLC satisfactory is to he accomplished. IV. M.P.'h to lk> Petitioned Everywhere. Iho li'iondh oi Jjible touching in schools in uacli electorate shoald now go to work to got petitions signed. 'J hey should not waste a day. Euch electorate should petition its own member to find a way to the introduction and pacing of a JBibk) in Pchwlu Referendum Bill. The petitions should reach each member of Parliament before Pnrltmnent niecte noxt moiltli (.June). No ineetSigs of electors need he called. ¥ the ministers ol tho abore named religion* bodies will each head a petition and ask lii.s cuiigre/ifitlGn to tt'gn ft, on .Sunday, June «th, that will prove an excellent- beginning, But if ministers do not act' inimoiWatcly, Irom any cause, the laity should go to work themselves. Let each earnest pcrsem in the community get a few friends to 1 join hini or Tier, and Bond their petition forward—all the hotter if members ns'-e deluded with

petitions. Tlio petitions may bo in one fonn or in many forms; or if a petition hp thought too formidable, a letter or telegram may he made to answer the s'ame purpose. Aim sncl Scope of this Letter. Tlii.s letter and the action proposed therein is intended to help, and blionld help, any united action already being taken in favour of a referendum in any part? of the dominion. It has bot'ii written, however, without the writer having hnd the advantage of 'being able to comIcr with others. He desired to do ■so, but through pressure of work he has been unable t-c. find the time. .I.his letter, therefore, only claims to represent his own idea of what ifc best to be done immediately in all the electorates. The writer has, however, had much experience in this question, and foels assured that he is working on right lines and commits the cause with cdftiidcnoe to the electors, who, with God's blessing, may now secure a great victory. This letter has been sent to all editors in tlie dominion with a view by their ( courtesy, to its being published in ojfcry newspaper simultaneously on •Saturday, June Ist, or as soon thereafter as possible. He appends a form of petition in case it may be of scrvieo to any elector.-

-I am, sir, WM. N. dc L. WILLIS, Archdracon nf Wnikato. Cambridge, May 27, 1912. VI. Suggested form of Petition. To A.8.C., Esq., M.P.j

Vor the Electoral District of — The petition of the andersignod electors of your district humbly showeth :— That the representatives of threefourths of the population of the dominion have come into agreement on the Bible in schools question. That their agreement is in favour of the adoption in New Zealand of the N.S.AY. system of religious teadiiiig, That they ore desirous that a Bible in School*. Referendum Bill be immediately introduced into Parliament and mado law. That such Hill shall provide (1) for each elector of the dominion having an opportunity of voting "Yes" or "No" in the question of the introduction of the N.S.AV. syateni of religious teaching in school sinto the dominion; and (2) for the N.S.AV. H.vatein being made law iiiynediatel.v in New Zealand, if a majority oT the electoi'N shall roto "Yes." That your petitionem while leaving in your hands the question of how host to grve effeet to their reasona'bld ctesirt*, nt the same time respectfully cull upon you, and depend nj)ou ypni to usw your upmost endeavours to have a Bible in Schools RefetmJum Bill as proposed in this petition introduced immediately into PavJiament, and as soon as possible made law. Aiu? your petitioners as in duty bound will over pray, ete.