A further letter stated that it certainly would be possible to place the Naseby Hospital in a thoroughly up-to-date condition, and that this might be the better course, whilst the board watch the progress of the whole district before committing themselves to a large expenditure for a new hospital.
Church seeks RE in state schools
At the Anglican General Synod yesterday afternoon a lengthy discussion took place on the question of religious teaching in public schools. Archdeacon MacMurray said a number of people did not really understand what true education really consisted of.
A large number thought that education was simply the imparting of useful knowledge; but any attempt to educate a child that did not build up character must fail. They had to build up character and must create a sense of responsibility to God. They must give their children high ideals. A number of proposals had been agreed to, which had been included in Mr Isitt’s Bill.
This Bill provided that schools should be opened with the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. Certain hymns should be sung, and certain passages in the Scriptures should be read.
A conscience clause for parents was inserted and also one for teachers. It was also provided for those teachers who availed themselves of the conscience clause. If a little more momentum had been put into the Bill it would have been passed.
What was wanted was the active co-operation of every loyal churchman and woman in the dominion, and the measure would then become the law of the land.
Mr L. Deans Ritchie (Dunedin) seconded the motion. It was a pitiable fact that attendance at churches was not what it used to be. The attendance at the Sunday schools was not what it used to be, and our methods of life were not what they used to be. There was all the more reason why we should bring before our children the things that meant so much in life — the recitation of the Ten Commandments and the instilling into their minds their duty to God and their fellows. Dean Carrington (Christchurch) said the opening of schools with the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer would sweep away the stain of secularism.
Mishap delays train
The afternoon express from the south was delayed for a considerable time at Clinton last evening. It appears that just as the train was steaming into Clinton an engine was shunting a string of half a dozen unoccupied carriages in the yard. The carriages completed the shunt, but the ones farthest from the engine did not come to a standstill and continued on their course across the level crossing and struck with great force the large white "stop" post at the end of the dock. The end vehicle, a guard’s van, knocked the post over, and then the van fell sideways from the high dock on the main line below. About three feet of the end of the van lying across the track completely prevented the express from proceeding. With axe and saw some railwaymen chopped off about three feet of the van. The engine went down to the wreck to test whether the gap was big enough to pass through, but insufficient had been chopped off, and the axe and saw were again brought into use. Great care had to be taken in case the large van, resting obliquely on the 6-foot bank, might topple over on to the main line. By 6.05 the line was clear, and the express moved slowly past the mass of wreckage, the "stop" post lying on its side and the wheels of the van projecting high into the air.
— ODT, 6.2.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
