1.—13

4

Schedule. No. 88. —Adams, R., and 793 others. No. 140. —Massey, (J., and 211 others. No. 85. —Barnett, M. J., and 794 others. No. 74.—Mauera. Angelina, and 1,021 others. No. 131.—8e11, W., and 292 others. No. 122.—Mitchell, A., and 504 others. No. 63.—Berrill, W. J., and 232 others. No. 138.—Moran, Jack, and 634 others. No. 233.—Bleakley, X., and- 524 others. No. 189. —Morgan, T. E., and 757 others. No. 119. —Bosarh.M., and 257 others. No. 160. —Morrison, P., and 261 others. No. 78.—Boyle, Thomas, and 609 others. No. 150. —Murray, M., and 695 others. No. 117. —Brosnan, J. C, and 872 others. No. 79.—McCormack, E., and 1,093 others No. 142.—Bryson, Thomas, and 311 others. No. 136.—McGrath, J., and 359 others. No. 187.—Butler, J. E., and 736 others. No. 128.—Nixon, E. C, and 364 others. No. 81.—Cassin, Mary, and 217 others. No. 159.—O'Connell, J., and 348 others. No. 84.—Clark. William, and 1,008 others. No. 87.—O'Hanlon, E. J., and 101 others. ■ No. 80.—Cotterill, A., and 752 others. No. 77.—O'Neill, P., and 231 others. No. 146.—C0x, 0., and 218 others. No. 141.—Porter, A., and 223 others. No. 115.—D'Ath, J. H., and 562 others. No. 130.—Reed, G. T., and 699 others. No. 137.— Devino, T., and 328 others. No. 118.—Roughan, W., and 643 others. No. 62.—Draper, Mary, and 407 others. No. 132.—Soollard, X., and 479 others. No. 116.—Duffy, J., and 328 otherrs. No. 143. —Scott, John, and 419 others. No. 162.—Pake, I. J., and 425 others. No. 139.—Simmon*, C. H., and 236 others. No. 61. —Fogarty. Miry, and 277 others. No. 75. —Stanton, J. W., and 677 others. No. 76.—Frost, Sirah, and 306 others. No. 60.—Stevenson, E. S., and 1,167 others. No. 145.—G110n. Annie, nnd 374 others. No. 83.—Toomey, M., and 201 others. No. 193. — Hiiles, George, and 506 others. No. 147. —Turner, J. C, and 174 others. No.l29.—Hmneffy, A. P., and 477 othera. No. 135.—Valentine, T., and 445 others. No. 158.—Hyhnd," John P., and 451 others. No. 114.—Welh, J., and 497 others. No. 134.—Kearney, John, and 580 others. No. 161.— WiUann. S., and 1,115 others. No. 144.—Keegan, J.,«nd 455 others. No. 157.—Willis, Ellen, and 1,349 others. No. 188.—Kelly, M, and 2,876 others. No. 148.—Wilson, D., and 1.075 others. No. 89.—Kelly, W., and 250 others. No. 86.—York, George, and 237 others. No. 121. —Mahoney, E. E., and 347 others.

No. 316.—Petition of Most Rev. Thomas O'Shea (Coadjutor, Bishop of Wellington), Right Rev. William Henry Cleary (Bishop of Auckland), and 2,488 Others. Praying that, if the petition signed by 140,000 persons, as alleged, in favour of the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill has been presented to your honourable House, the same may be referred to a Committee of your honourable House, and that your petitioners may be afforded an opportunity of being heard thereon. I am directed to report that, as no petition signed by 140,000 persons in favour of the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill has been presented to your honourable House, the Committee has no recommendation to make. (Vide also 1.-13b.) 30th October, 1914.

No. 211.—Petition of Nita Park and 989 Others; No. 245—Petition of Lucretia Baker and 50 Others ; and No. 289 —Petition of George A. Page and 17 Others. Praying that the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill be passed into law. I am directed to report that the Committee is of opinion that the proposals in the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill, introduced this session by the Hon. James Allen, should not be allowed to become law. (Vide also 1.-13b.) 30th October, 1914.

f No. 487.—Petition of Reverend Professor William Hewitsox. and 89 similar Petitions (as pei Schedule attached). Objecting to certain provisions embodied in the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill. I am directed to report that the Committee has heard evidence on the Bubject-matter of these petitions —much latitude beinjr allowed witnesses in the desire to gel all the facts and is of opinion that the New Zealand State system of free, secular, and compulsory education (under which our children have received incalculable benefits, and under which, after thirty-seven years' experience our people —the immense majority of whom have passed through our schools —compare most favourably morally, socially, and religiously with the people of any other part of the world) should be main tamed. Further, that the Committee is fully alive to the value of biblical and religious instruction, and is of opinion that full opportunity should be given lor the adoption of ;; voluntary system, such as that known as the Nelson system, in which the teaching is imparted outside the statutory school hours, under which the State exercises no authority in religious matters, and under which there is no compulsion or violation of rights of conscience. (Vide also 1.-13b.) 30th October, 1914.