BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 206, 28 February 1914, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM NEW SOUTI-I WALKS. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright Sydney, February 27. The Methodist Conference acknowledged a letter from Canon. Garland, secretary of tin; New Zealand Bible in State Schools League, asking the conference's interest in the work. It was moved and agreed to that the conference beard with interest of the movement going on in Victoria and New Zealand to secure the advantages alreid.v possessed in New Son h Wale-i of direct, religious teaching and Bible lessons i.i the State system of public instrwtii n. The conference expressed the hope that tlie movement in \ ictoria and New Zealand would speedily achieve success.

REQUEST ["Oil REFERENDUM. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. At the conference of delegates of the llible in State Schools league, representing central and other committees covering the whole Dominion, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. .). C. Adams, chairman of the Canterbury College Board of (oivernoi's, and seconded by Air. Gilbert Carson, of Wauganui -"That. the Government be respectfully, but firmly, urged to introduce this session a Rill containing provision for a referendum on the ipicstiou for which, up to December 31, 133,(1(10 individual electors of New Zealand have signed a written request. .1 his contci'cnco is of opinion that the request for a referendum would have been expressed ill many instances in much stronger ways but for the loyalty to the policy of the executive during the past year, and this conference is further of opinion that the demand for the referendum is s'> intense that disappointment at any failure to carry the Referendum Bill I his coming session will be acutely felt in every electorate, especially by the women voters."

CANON' CAIiLAND'S VIEWS. j \ Wellington, Thursday, j ( anon Garland stated to-night that j during; the conference, which was not [ open to the I'ress, it was announced that the League's position was much stronger than that of the prohibition movement when the Government first , ".iireduced 11 gi liition in connection with tiie latter. *1 .u* prohibition movement then hud only Kill,(100 votes known to be behind i>, wiiereas the League had now a signed membership rcpresentiii"' 133,0(10 votes. ° the inipresMiui was given during the proceedings that the conference, as representing the members of the League, was determined not to sit s-till, "but ' meant business. Further, that it had .Vet to impress upon Parliament how much it meant business. in this connection a recommendation was made that if there were any signs of tardiness a "League of Earnestness" should be .formed within the League of those willing to put the Bible in State Schools before any political party is-ue. This ) decision was also accompanied by a recommendation that C500I) be raised for the final campaign in connection with the proposal to utilise the Nelson system as a solution of the problem. It was regarded by the conference as too late to bring this forward as an alternative, the system being referred to as utterly inadequate from a national point of view. 'lbis opinion was expressed very clearly by „ome present, who were actively working under the Nelson svstem. "The interesting fact was disclosed," Canon Garland added, "that some primary schools are now Tinin" opened by State -school teachers with i piayers and Bible lessons, while in other* Bible lessons are given by visitors during ordinate school hours It wu, recognised that this infringement of the Act is an indication of growin" dissatisfaction >v;ui ,t!ie exisiin" condb turn of things. -,. |,,.„ teachers and parouts. 11l defiance o, .J 1(: A cl. thus find a place lor religions teaching'.

A NEW Pl.Y.MiH'Tli MEETING. A meeting or the genera! committee 8t the New Plymouth inane!! 0 f the Bible ill State School* League was held hist evenifig in St. Mary? Hall, the president (Mr X. K. .McDiarmid i 'i H the chair. After hearing the report of the delegate who attended the conference' at Wanganni on behalf of the branch liifollowing resolution, which was earri ,1 unanimously and ordered to b ■" s .. n t the Prime -Minister and other incmhers ot the Cabinet, was moved: -"That this meeting of the XeSv l>ly„M,uth branch, of the Bible in State League, representing' a membership of 1(1 0 G is of opinion that a sufficient demand'exists amongst the electors of the Dominion tor an alteration in our system of education on the lines advocal"ii by the League, to warrant tlie (lover,mieut in granting a referendum on the subject at, the next genera; ...lection, and'trusts that they will, in ,li,e course, take such steps as may be necessary for this purpose."