A SUGGESTION FOR THE TIMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8353, 5 September 1890, Page 3

A SUGGESTION FOR THE TIMES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt is much to be desired that an open means of communion should be provided between the rank and file of each side in our great labour struggle. Gatherings should be organised, where any man who has a reason able question to ask of his fellow man should be at liberty to do so, and be protected in so doing. Isolation of one party from the other will only add intensity to bitterness and increase suspicion. Any available means for bringing the opposing forces together peaceably, should be at once used. The vory coming together and listening to each others 1 voices, will tend to allay irritation and appease morbid excitement. Our churches m Auckland have now a chance presented to them for peace - making, which they ought immediately to act upon. It is of little or no value that ministers talk eloquently on labour topics just now. What is needett is that every pastor shall at once convene a meeting of his members and adherents, and under the sanctions of religion let each of the contestants formulate their trouble, and reasonably and in a manly spirit discuss the whole question from a moral and social standpoint. In every church there are representatives of each side in this battle. When in church they are, or ought to be, one in church life. Let this Christian or church oneness be the reason and the justification of such gatherings. I believe that if such meetings were held much suspicion would be allayed and much irritation cooled down. Ana then as the church-going section of our capital and labour people may be very fairly considered as the most influential of our population, let them come out of their cooling and healing meetings and arrange for open meetings of such as are not churchgoers; and let the better feelings of the latter operate freely and fully upon their fellow Unionists or their fellow capitalists, and good will ensue. This, Mr. Editor, I ofl'er as a practicable and reasonable suggestion to our churches, so tliat they may become active, and not merely remain passive while this social unrest exists, which touches so vitally so many of their membership.—l am, etc., E. C. Carr.