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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3765, 21 January 1881, Page 2

Another attempt has been made at Dunedin to carry resolutions in favor of introducing Bible reading into the State schools, but although the advocates of it did their utmost to force these resolutions on the public, the Dunedinites evinced their good sense by wholly rejecting the proposals. Much has been said on the subject, and the chief difficulty to be encountered by the introduction into our schools of Bible reading, would be not only that each teacher would inevitably teach, according to his own doctrine, and so clash with the religious wishes of the parents, but by cramming children with Biblical chapters • would have the effect of developing in them a distaste if not an impious disregard for the Word of God. There is no doubt, however, that it would be quite possible to give more attention to the moral teaching in the schools, and such a course would be the means of lessening the crowds of despicable larrikins, who swarm in Colonial cities and towns, and who have become such a pest that judges, parsons, lawyers and the police are at their wits end to know how to root out and counteract this rapidly increasing evil.