BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 45

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

THE LEAGUE’S PROPOSALS OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED BY" HIERARCHY WELLINGTON, June 24. nn i s . ub - co , mll littee of the New Zealand Bible-in-Sehools Executive considered in vvellington to-day Bishop Brodie’s disclaimer of any agreement between the Homan Catholic hierarchy and the league and approved of the statement issued by the secretary last night through the Press Association quoting the official acceptance of the league’s proposals by the hierarchy. The committee states that only one letter has previously eome to the secretary from Bishop Brodie. It was dated June, T 930, and acknowledged receipt of a copy of a circular letter and paper. Its closing message is: “As I understand his Grace Archbishop O’Shea, will reply on behalf of the hierarchy, it will not be necessary to comment on the circular of which you sent me a copy:” Proceeding, the committee states that a continuous correspondence was carried on last year with the archbishop. He was the recipient of all official correspondence, and from him all official communications from the hierarchy were received by the league. If, therefore, any withdrawal from the position taken up last year by the Roman Catholic hierarchy had been decided on it would have been notified to the official secretary of the league by the official representative of the hierarchy; but, as no word of any such position had ever been mentioned by Archbishop O’Shea, although a letter was received from him by the same mail as that which brought the letter from Bishop Brodie, no official notice can at present be taken by the executive of Bishop Brodie’s interpretation. It will be necessary to await an official .communication from Archbishop O'Shea. From the standpoint of the league, the committee adds, the present position is quite definite. There has been no suggestion of any withdrawal- by the league nor any hint of the kind from Archbishop O’Shea, and consequently the league’s official letter of April 14, 1930, conveying definite proposals, the hierarchy’s acceptance of the proposals on Alay 12, 1930, and the league's acknowledgment of the acceptance in a letter of May 21, 1930, remain unaltered. A general statement of the position was issued to the press on July 24 for the Roman Catholic bishops by Archbishop Redwood and for the league, by the Dominion Executive. These were quite independent statements, and harmonised in essential points. These statements stand as the official reports of the agreement.

LEAGUE’S STATEMENT ENDORSED. BISHOP BRODIE’S BELATED PROTEST. . NEW PLYMOUTH, June 24. The denial made on Tuesday’ by Bishop Brodie, of Christchurch, that any agreement had been entered into by the Roman Catholic heirarchy and the Bible-in-Schools League was the subject of a statement made in an interview to-night by Archbishop O'Shea. “ The denial from the south of any agreement between the Roman Catholic heirarchy and the Bible-in-Schools League is somewhat belated.” said the archbishop. “ It is nearly a year ago since a public statement was made by Archbishop Redwood to the effect that if the Bible-in-Schools League complied with the conditons which were first laid down by the Roman Catholic bishops many years ago Catholic opposition would be withdrawn. The Bible-in-Schools executive, on the same date, announced that it was prepared to draft a Bill which would meet these conditions. Consequently, the only honourable course for the archbishop was to announce that an agreement was in sight. “ Until now,” proceeded Archbishop O’Shea, “no public protest was made against his action. The conditions laid down by the Roman Catholic heirarchy 17 years ago have been published time and again, not only by the bishops who drew them up, of whom I was one but •'« ’n + n ... |o°o wh-m in Parliament Mr Carrington, with the full approval of •‘i-diop <' l ' , ar> and m.vself. again repeated them. No protest whatever was then made by anyone from our side aganst his statement that we would withdraw our opposition to a Bible-in-Schools measure which would meet these conditions.”