BIBLE READING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 May 1914, Page 3

BIBLE READING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Si.: — Z':_; . (To thfe.jSifitor). pi :-r' Sir,—l jouto a public s. 'school City, 8.C., arsk«d"thc r if any reliinstruction was given: his v .reply vi(as that the sciiool was al- ; .ways opened, by a repetition of the V Lord's Prayer. As we New Zearg, landers are seeking for information onvthis cjuestipn of religious instruction in State schools the Allowing' laws on tile subject are worthy of note: — - Ontario Province (population 2,519,902 in 1911): •'The Scriptures shall be read daily and sys- . tematically; the portion used may x be taken from the book of Scrip- >. ture • Belectioioß adopted' by the ol%|iurppafe: or direj6t. The Ten; h?. .Commandmefats are repeated once are and :SGhpols,. each out oftaxation on their properties and Gov- • Bilble is m' . (population |f^Sl^jM9ll) i :4'R shall be the *" privilege pf every teacher to open and close the * daily exercises of : ••• the school by reading a portion of - Scripture, (but of the Common or . Douay Version ashe may prefer), and by offering tHe Lord's Prayer. But no teacher shall compel. any child to be present at l these exercises against the wish of his parent or guardian, expressed in writing to the Board of (school) Trustees." ' Saskatchewan province (population 453,508 in 1911): "The local boards may permit religious instruction in schools." x Manitoba province (population 454,691 in 1911): Religious exer- . cises* in public schools shall be conducted according to the regulations of the advisory board. . . Such religious exercises shall take place just before the closing hour m the. afternoon. If the parent or guardian of any pupil notifies the teacher that he does noT wish such pupil to attend .such exercises then -such pupil shall be dismissed before such exercises take place. . . . . and shall be conducted by any Christian clergyman or by any person duly authorised by such clergyman, or oy a teacher. when so authorised Where the schoolroom accoinmo- . dation at the disposal of the (school) trustees permits, instead of allotting different days of the week to different denominations for the purpose of religious teaching/ the.pupils may be separated the hour, for religious teaching arrives and placed in different rooms/' At the Scripture reading there is no instruction given, just a simple reading without comment. —I am, Sir, yours truly, S. PEARSON. 253 Cuba-street, Wellington. May 26th, 1914.