Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1910. BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10146, 16 December 1910, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1910. BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

: The Bible-in-Scliools question, which ' has been the subject of heated con- | troversy in. Wellington and other centres, has been revived by the establishment in the Empire City of a; Secular Education Defence League. The reason for the establishment of such a League is not quite clear, seeing that the movement made by th'e Ministers' Association to upset the present secular system was practically abandoned a year or two back. It is true that a. Citizens' League and a Householders' League have sprung into existence in Wellington, and that these have made an assault upon what they term the present ''Godless system." That these in- ' stitutions do not represent public opinion was. clearly demonstrated at I the last School Committee elections, arid at a subsequent Education I Board election. The advocates of Bible-reading in schools have adopt- | ed;irrationaLand impracticable methods of enforcing their demands. They j have endeavoured to thrust an. im-

I perfect and ill-advised system upon the community without consulting the people's wishes. Parliament, which may he taken to represent public opinion on this as on other important questions, has decided that our education system shall be free, secular and compulsory. It is the duty of those who are charged with the administration of the Education Act to see that neither the spirit nor the letter of the law is broken. It would be obviously improper, therefore, for any Education Board to make concessions which are opposed to the spirit of the Act. It is true that the Nelson Board has permitted ministers of religion to enter the schools during school hours on certain conditions. The twelve remaining Boards, however, have strenuously resisted any attempt in this direction, and it is clearly manifest that they are acting in true compliance with the law. If there is a general feeling in the country that the religious education of the rising generation is being neglected, that feeling should bo represented, either by way of referendum —as in the case o'T Queensland —or by petition, to Parliament, and the responsibility for amending or retaining the Act should be cast upon the Legislature. It is the duty of Parliament, and not of Education Boards and School Committees, to afford facilities for the expression of public opinion. The law, as it now stands, is obviously opposed to religious teaching during school hours in any shape or form. Until that law is altered, movements by individual communities are so much wasted energy. The setting up of a Secular Defence League would appear a little premature in view of the fact that no organised effort is being made to influence Parliament I in the direction of including relig- ■ ions instruction in the school curriculum.