A CHOIR STRIKE.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 272, 19 November 1919, Page 2

A CHOIR STRIKE.

The recent choir strike at St. Matthew's Church, .Auckland, brings t-> mimi (says the Star), a choir strike at Hawera about 35 years ago, when the Rev. W. I/. Salter, who is pn well known in Auckland, was the c-ritral figure. The choir of -he

Methodist Church had, previously to Mr Salter's time, been accustomed to sit at the back of the church, at the extreme end from the pulpit, but the new minister wanted the « position altered, so that the singing might be conducted from seats placed around tiie pulpit, and -with this end in view had the organ removed from the back of the church to the place where he wished it to he, up near the front. The choir took up their seats in the nVw position at the morning service, but were not satisfied, and in the afternoon some of the members went o'uietly back to the church, and l'r-oved tho organ to its old position. By some means the minister got" an' inkling of what- had happened, and going early to the church before the evening' service took off his coat, and \f.ith the help of the church officer, again managed to get the organ up ,m j:ir the pulpit steps. The division between the minister's ideas and the choir's wishes was now very marked; the choir as a body struck, and many members of the congregation showed their sympathy with the choir by abstaining from going to church. For ma-riy Sundays the church was practically empty. It is told by the old residents in Hawera how Mr Salter emptied the church, and it is also told to his credit lioav he, after a period, filled the building to overflowing again, and the choir members returned to their seats where he wanted them to sit.