BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

CONFERENCE OF OPPONENTS. A conference of representatives of National Schools Defence Leagues was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon and evening. Mr W. J. Speight, of Auckland, presided. It was unanimously resolved to form a New Zealand Schools Defence League, with a central executive in Wellington, individual leagues to be affiliated on payment of 10s 6d per annum. The central executive was empowered to appoint a literature committee, and to deal with various important questions of policy. A communication was read by the chairman in which it was stated tha,t at the recent meeting of the Educational Institute of New Zealand, delegates representing 2800 teachers in public schools carried tho following resolution by 43 to 7: “ That this institute, while fully recognising the value of tKo Bible and of religion, is opposed to the programme of the Bible-in-Sohools League.” Surprise was expressed at the failure of the Press Association to report tho above fact and the highly important debate which took place on the occasion. The following were elected to the executive of the new national organisation: President, Mr A. R. Atkinson; treasurer, Mrs H. H. Ostler; secretary, Professor H. Mackenzie. Mr John Hutcheson, Mr Clement Watson, and a long list of persons representative of the whole Dominion were elected vicepresidents.