RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES. [To vim EDITOR OP
Till "BPROTATOR.".1 SIR,—I have just seen a copy of the Spectator of March 3rd, and though my letter must be late, I venture to correct a very misleading impression of Australian primary education. Nothing could be more misleading than your note on the New South Wales system. As a matter of fact, you have there
what many of us younger clergy in England wished for instead bf the hopeless Education Act of the late Govern- ment. In NOw South Wales, besides the "secular" education (which includes simple Bible teaching from the Irish book), every denomination has the right of 'entry for denominational teaching during school hours, and this right is used largely by the Church of England and by other denominations without any friction. The leading Wesleyan minister and the leading Congregational minister in this city both lately held charges in New South Wales and regularly made use of the right, and the bigb praise of the school inspectors is directed, not, as you suggest, to the undenominational instruction only, but to the whole system of religious teaching. It may be interesting to say that in Queensland every denomination has the right to use the schools for religious instruction before or after school hours, and the Church of England makes considerable use of this right; but so far is it from being considered satisfactory that we are hoping for a Referendum on the subject, and (in spite of indifference, and of opposition from the extremists of the Labour Party and from some Roman Catholics who fear that such a change would destroy any chance of State-aid for their schools) there is no doubt that a large majority of the thoughtful people in the State are strongly in favour of the intrelluction of the New South Wales system. Some years ago West Australia followed the example of New South Wales, and we wonder that England will not do the same.
(Archdeacon of Brisbane).
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