The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 81, 28 July 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1877.

The Education question .will be sure to engage the attention o£ Parliament during the present session, and as it is one upon which'very decided, and at the same time antagonistic, opinions are held, we may naturally expect that a warm debate will be the result of its consideration. We have upon various occasions expressed our views upon the subject, and after reading and listening to the arguments of others holding • opposite opinions to our own, we see no reason to depart from or modify the views we have already given expression to. The question, however, is one of such vital importance to every civilized community that it behoves the Press and the public to watch 'with interest all . legislation upon it ; and whilst the arguments of members m the House will necessarily be to a large- extent but a recapitulation of ; arguments already advanced, whatever is new- or serves to shed fresh light upon this important subject will be received with avidity v by those .desirous of forming- an v honest a7id unbiased opinion upon a matter which so seriously affects their own a*nd their children's welfare. »Ye desire- to seethe present system of education improved, and we feel assured, with the example of Australia before it, that any change made by Parliament m the laws relating thereto must of necessity be a change m the. right direction. It is admitted on all sides that some alteration m our education scheme is needed. It is also agreed that a uniform system of education is best ; and it is patent that we cannot have a uniform system unless that system' be guided and controlled by the Q-overnment of the country. If we desire to carry the 'benefits of education to every home, and to every child m every home capable of. receiving instruction, our education system must be free so far as the actual payment for the attendance of children at public schools, is concerned, and their attendance at some school must be made compulsory. But then there is the question of religious instruction m schools. A large section of the community looks with alarm upon the exclusion "of the Bible from our public schools, and m this section we believe that nearly every religious denomination is largely represented. We do not attribute to those who are favorable to the daily readingof the scriptures m schools any motive of bigotry, but on the contrary believe them to be influenced for the most part by. an honest desire to have an all impor- , tant knowledge — a knowledge which | no other book than the Bible can so e'ffecfcively and easily supply — imparted to the rising generation. It lias been asserted ]£rom time to time that ministers of religion and the parents of the children are the per-, sons best calculated to impart a knowlodge of the scriptures. Parents, however, are too often careless m this matter, and whea. personal" trouble is' involved will not, and m many cases are totally unfit, to impart su*ch instruction to their children. On the other hand' the duties of ministers are often too arduous to admit of their devoting the time and attention necessary to impart even a superficial knowledge of Bible truths to the children of /those parents attending their miiii&tra-

tions, and it v/ould be quite impossible for them m many cases to seek out for the purpose of religious training the children of that unfortunately too numerous class who attend no place of worship. This beingthe case it seems at first sight reasonable, enough that the Bible should be' Used m our public schools, where the children 01 those who arq careless m the matter as well as of those who revere the Bible and are anxious that there children should receive a knowledge of it, are assembled. But , at this point the question of; religious, belief is a barrier. Roman Catholics' are averse to having their children taught from 'the authorised protestant version of the scriptures, but still they are anxious that their children should receive Bible instruction. Would it not be possible to set apart a portion Jof one day m each week for the purposes of religious instruction m public schools ? Would it ■.■riot also be possible for a protestant minister and a; Roman Catholic ''priest to attend, oh the day arid at the hour so set apart' to give thechildren instruction, m the broad principles of Christianity ? " In the better class of schools, separate clas.s-rooms, we f eeL con- . ■vinced that this could be arranged; and \u the smaller schools, where only one room would, be available, the labours of the two clergymenmight alternate week iby week. Since writing the above we have! had the pleasure of scaniiing the text or the. new Education Bill, which was introduced to the House oh Tuesday last by. the Hofr;]SSr Bowen; and read «a; : ;first time. The measurej appears: to;ua 1 to^ be a very comprehensive one, but we must deter making ..any 'remarks upon its principles for the present; In refer : ence to r religious iristructionthe Bill, provides as follows :-— ■'/.'■■''■* '"■ ; '. ". ""TjieschLOol shall be opened every morning with the reading of the Lords' Prayer and; a ,;..-iof ,. the Holy Scriptures ; with "exceptionl 1 tlie. teaching shall be eiitirely of a secular charucter ; and no "child shall attiend at the reading herein provided for. if his or, her parents 1 -. or -guardians inform the Committee or the teacher m writing that - they object to . such' attendance." • . '.'"[';'.