SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 35, 10 February 1909, Page 8

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) THE CHURCH AND PUBLIC FUNCTIONS. CHRISTCHURCH, this day. At a meeting of the Christchureh Presbytery, the Rev. T. Tait, as convener of -the committee appointed to secure the due representation of the Presbyterian Church at public functions, submitted a report. ' He stated that they had no desire as a Church to complain of having been badly treated at any time by any public body. They felt, however, that there should be some official of the Church to whom those in charge of public functions might send an invitation if it was desired that the Presbyterian Church should be represented upon such occasions. It was decided that the clerk of tne Presbytery should be the official to receive invitations, but {he matter of appointing representatives of the Church at public gatherings has not yet been considered. "A GENERATION OF HEATHEN." GORE, this day. At a meeting of the Mataura Presbytery to-day, the Sunday School Committee reported that out of 1578 scholars only 231 were presented for examination, and results showed a lack of Scriptural knowledge. Only five out of 194 gained 80 per cent, of marks and 88 40 per cent. A large percentage, however, passed in catechism, proving that lack of intelligence was not the cause of failure. During discussion, the Rev. A. Gray "(clerk) declared that we were raising a generation of heathen. In reply to a suggestion that the remedy lay in Scriptural teaching in fhe public schools, there was, he said, no hope of getting religious instruction in schools while the present Government *was in power. Trie oplnloj was generally expressed that ministers should take advantage of rac'lisies Tor giving religious instruction after hours. A committee was appointed to fully report on the Sunday school question at a future meeting. ALLEGED ROBBERY. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. At the Police Court this morning John Trainor,' William Thomas, and George Williams, the last-named with several aliases, were charged with, having aseaulted an old man named James Carter in the back premises of an .hotel last night, and robbing him of a. small sum of money. Thje men were remanded, Williams being allowed bail, himself in £100, and two sureties of £50 each.