CHURCH & STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1935, 18 December 1913, Page 5

CHURCH & STRIKE

! ' KCoXoJnc: <t.: OTHER PROPOSALS. . . nv THE. ASSEMBLY. - (gy Telegraph.—l'roas Association.) Cliristchurch, December 17. At the morning sederunt of the ucnern! Assembly, of the Presbyterian Uiurch of New Zealand, Dr. Gitib, convenor of .the Special . Committee appointed to consider , matters connected wit.li the present industrial unrest, submitted tho motion which tho. committee had decided should be placed before the Assembly. ■ • Dr. Erwin moved, and it was second- . .cd and agreed to, "That the Assembly leniain m private, till it conies to a decision." i .T' 10 10 "lotion was as follows:-— in Vlcw 0 f tile "widespread industrial THirost of which the present 13 on ? P haso > tho Assembly •ii „ lc . co ™ profound svmpathv iHth all just claims of labour," and its conviction that, beiwath tho worklide upheavals there are g re ,t moral impulses, and an appeal which cannot S "Snored. .['he right to earn a fully adequate living is a right which can-> ,f tlisr-c K arded, but tho Assembly I .lould also record its conviction that tho employers have rights as valid in '~,1 l ?t those employed,' .■"1.1 hokvs vhat all e.omp-act-hreaking, ft not her. l.y employers'or employed, is Mil ill, and subversive of social welfare «>"! progress. The Assembly profoundly deplores and condemns every attempt to subvert legitimate authority by violence. The Assembly is pcr■lUaclc'd that a fuller and clearer recognition on tho part of the wealthy «t tno responsibilities 'of wealth is "■'gently demanded, as is also the end'•if... i' 1 ?. e '; sto system, whirl., with artiiicial distinctions which it draws bo. tween class and class and between man 1S pr - > ; iW - r i,! s « !al1 n..asuio responsible lor the socthine unrest of our time.' Tho Assembly! l .nuile disclaiming any right or ooWt-' once !.o offer expert opinion as to the purely economic factors in tho' problem o. li.Klu'uria! unrest dosires'thnt an inquiry should be m.ttle as to tho value of proposals as follow:— (1) 1 liat tho priva,to ownership si" great public: utilities tends to monopoly, inimical to tho welfare +1. r cown]l "»ty, and that tliese, therefore, should bo nationalised, •ilia pi.it wilder -the control of tho - btato. The question could be faced wnetlier this should bo done, and still ieayo sufficient room for private ;r ?»terpriso and tho development of individual initiative. ■ (2) That somo form of voluntary co-operation and profit-sharing be- : tween employers and employed is dcsirabie, and will probablv be the. " next step in the evolution of social organisation. 'J he Assembly suggests that such' proposals are at least in keeping ivith the brotherhood inculcated by our Lord in the great command, "All things whatsoever yo would that man should do to you, do ye even so to them." Tho Assembly is .of opinion that an inquiry should I'jo ft) ft do whether .1 movement along these lines will not tend to bring employers and employed together, not as superior and inferior kings, but as mutually valued and necessary partners 111 tho work of wealth production ami distribution—partners whose accredited representatives may honourably discuss the proportion in which the* wealth jointly produced may bo divided. Finally, tlic Assembly would emphasise its conviction that, without- concomitant moralisation of men's health and lives. J any movement along merely economic 1 lines will not result in a better social j firdei'. Unless due heed is given to the claims of the soul, human society, after any conceivable economic changes, will find'itself as wretched and as far from the kingdom of God as ever. The Assembly agreed to appoint a j committee to consider the subject carefully, the mover of this resolution instructing it to bring up a report to nest meeting:.'',.. . Tho EcvV James Aitkcn. prooosed.. "That a vote be taken without discussion; and this was agreed to by 77 votes to 38."... On the motion being submitted to the vote it was agreed to by 70 to 38.