BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

DEPUTATION TO ASSEMBLY OUTLINE OF ENABLING BILL. WELLINGTON, June 8. A deputation representing the Dominion Executive of the Bible-in-schools League waited on the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church this afternoon with reference to the new Bill to be introduced in Parliament. The Rev. E. O. Blamires, on behalf of the league, said that a conference of representatives of the churches had considered two special matters. The first was the attitude of the Roman Catholic hierarchy to the question. Negotiations had been opened with the Roman Catholic bishops, resulting eventually in a complete agreement between the negotiating parties. Under the terms of the agreement the bishops promised to withdraw their opposition to any measure proposed provided the consciences of Roman Catholic teachers and pupils and all others concerned were adequately protected, and if the introduction of biblical instruction involved any additional expenditure the Roman Catholics should not be responsible for bearing any portion of the additional expenditure so incurred. They would not participate and should not be expected to pay. These conditions were approved and were embodied in the Enabling Bill. The second matter dealt with by the conference was the new Enabling Bill. It did not bury the Religious Exercises Bill, but incorporated lb in the new Bill, which represented an advance in line with educational criticism and was believed to be more in harmony with accepted educational principles. The moderator thanked the deputation and promised full and sympathetic consideration of the matter by the assembly.