THE STATE SCHOOL ELECTION ON MONDAY, 26th INST.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4400, 20 April 1909, Page 3

THE STATE SCHOOL ELECTION ON MONDAY, 26th INST.

A REFERENDUM ADVOCATED

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —ln the majority of the day schools of the United States. Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, and South Africa, the Bible is read daily, but New Zealand has banished the Bible from the* State Schools some 35 years ago, with the result that there are a great percentage of young men, native bora, in our galls, besides the effects .seen in other directions. Parents who cesire to see their children get the highest possible training during the short school fife, are urged to work for the restoration of the Bible to our schools by attending the Annual Meeting of Householders on Monday, 26th inst., and only voting for candidates Avho are pledged to get the School Committee to take a local referendum on Bible reading.

If a Public Hall has been engaged for the annual meeting, two blackboards should be provided, one for the list of candidates who are “ For Referendum on Bible Reading,” and the other for the list of those “ Against Referendum.” Wives of householders can vote at the above meeting. The Referendum could be easily taken with the aid of the children, each parent to have snpplied within 30 days a voting paper with the following questions thereon, to be signed and returned : 1. I agree to allow my child to take part in a daily Bible reading at the State School.

2. I object to my child taking part in a daily Bible reading at the State School.

Voters to cross off the clause they object to. If the 2,000 School Committees in the Dominion find parents are favourable, Parliament will be approached this session.—l am, etc.,

S. Pearson

P S.—School Committees are advised that copies of the “Ten Commandments ” for displaying in class rooms, being sanctioned by the majority of Education Boards, are now procurable from the ible Depot, 71 Willis street, Wellington

253. Cuba-street, Wellington, loth April, 1909.