Churchmen To Discuss Means Of Restoring Harmony To Industry

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 37, 13 April 1948, Page 7

Churchmen To Discuss Means Of Restoring Harmony To Industry

How to restore harmony to industry is one of the foremost problems of the day, not only in New Zealand but throughout the world. Believing that the Church should have some contribution to make towards its solution the Church of England Men’s Society has formulated a questionnaire for consideration by branches, it being, desired that the views and opinions of a representative cross-section of the men of the Church should be obtained. The questions follow:

1. (a) What were the chief elements of good and of evil in the “old” industrial order: i.e., the system known as ‘competitive capitalism’ which is associated with the idea of “free enterprise”? (b) State clearly to what degree the evils of the system were attributable to—(i) Faults in the system itself; (ii) Wrong actions on the part of those engaged in it, whether as employers or employed. 2. The old order having been superseded or modified to a Considerable extent by State enterprise and state regulation of private industry, has this change tended to produce greater or lesser harmony in industrial life, and with what other notable effects?

3. (a) If you agree that there must be a moral and spiritual basis for true material welfare, how would you propose to relate Christian principles to the activities of the State and the duties of the individuals? (b) Indicate practical steps which could be taken to uplift, purify and educate the motives which would lead to the just and adequate production, distribution and consumption of material goods, .and the supply of necessary services to the community.