RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9635, 29 October 1909, Page 7

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

At the Anglican Snyod, at present ! sitting at Dunedin, the Rev. J. G. S. Bartlett moved:—"''.'hat this synod desires to express its sense of the paramount importance of a system of education for the young, which includes religious instruction, and having this in view approves of the principle embodied in the New South Wales education system, by i which clergy and accredited teachers j of the several religious bodies have ' permission to visit the State schools within ordinary school hours for the purpose of giving religious instrucI tion, and resolves that an effort be made to secure for this country facilities of the same nature, and requests the representatives of this diocese to see that the matter be brought before the next General Synod." The mover said that at present the great majority of children who attended the public schools did not attend Sunday school, and a great proportion of these were growing ,up without any religious instruction whatever Our morality would sink to a lower level with a corresponding effect on the whole of society. Surely, continued the speaiter, a religious body had the same right to demand that religious instruction be given j as had a scientific body that geography, history, arithmetic, etc., which tended to strenthten a man in his more worldly life, should be taught in the schools. Mr A. Moris Barnett moved as an amendment:—"That this synod considers that Bible teaching should be given in the schools of the Dominion; and that such teaching he given with justice to all, it is desirable that some concession be given to Roman Catholics " The amendment was not seconded, and the motion, after discusbion, was unanimously carried.