MINISTERS' OPINIONS

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 July 1914, Page 5

MINISTERS' OPINIONS

The Hon. J. S. McGowen, writing from Parliament House, Sydney, July.2oth, 1909. stated that: "lam a firm believer in our present public school system. Permission is granted to ail sections of religion to attend on certain days of the week and impart religious instruction to the children of their faith. 1 believe this opportunvy is availed of by most of- the ministers. I believe that this is a better and more successful method than expecting the teachers to do it."

The Hon. J. H. Carruth'er, Minister for Public Instruction, New South Wales, in a speech, 6th August, 1891, said that this clause in the Act had received the approval of Parliament and the people. He could bear testimony that the work done was a good work for the country at large , and he believed in connecting State education to some extent with religion. He looked with dread to a purely secular system of education.

The Hon. J. A. Hogue, "Minister of Education for New South Wales, writes under date 3rd September, 1912: —" With regard to our education system, I was responsible during four years of my political career for the administration of our Public Instruction Act, one of the wisest measures passed by the late Sir Henry Parkes. Our system of free, non-sectarian, and compulsory educa~ tion ha 3 worked wtll ever since its adoption, and gave almost universal satisfaction. It is not a purely secular .system, since provision is made, in addition to the carefully compiled Scripture lessons, for the imparting of religious instruction by the clergy of every denomination who choose to avail themselves of the provisions of the Act."