THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1911. STRIKES AND CHRISTMAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14868, 20 December 1911, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1911. STRIKES AND CHRISTMAS.

Strikes and lock-outs are always lamentable. They inflict loss and injury upon all concerned and upon all who are even indirectly affected. They foster . hatred and bitterness and leave behind them rankling illfeeling and animosities. They must be' settled, in some way or other, sooner or later; the settlement arrived at or a better one might always and invariably have been reached without them by amicable arid conciliatory negotiations. It is not too much to say that no strike and no lock-out has ever taken place, in the entire annals of industrial history, which could not have been avoided had wiser and kindlier counsels prevailed beforehand. We may, therefore, urge upon all the parties concerned in the disputes now looming upon Auckland that, at any time it would be best to seek a peaceful settlement by friendly negotiation and mutually conciliatory action. At Christmas-time, the season of goodwill among men, much more can 1 be urged. It is inconceivable that at such a time all men should not wish to be at peace with their neighbours, that employers should not be ready to make all possible concessions to their employees, that employees should not be disposed to meet their employers halfway and to take into consideration the manifold difficulties under which industrial operations are carried on. There are always two sides to every question, , and not least so in industrial disputes. At all times. it is' desirable that -" the other side", should be considered; at Christmastime it is every man's duty, as it should be his pleasure, to do his best to avoid quarrels and to make that generous peace which is more fruitful than any force-won victory. In Auckland, at the present time, the industrial world is threatened with two serious industrial disturbances which if inaugurated cannot but affect most unfortunately the Christmas season to which all have, long looked forward with joyful anticipation. In neither case does there appear to be any insurmount- , able obstacle to ■> a peaceful settle- ; ment if the various \ parties ■ meet one

another in conciliatory conclave and are- guided in their 'actions- by & desire to avoid unnecessary- friction. Without entering upon details and without traversing the issues which threaten to prevent an amicable solution, we can safely, assert that the mutual adoption of a " give-and-take" policy would make it comparatively easy to bring about a generally satisfactory arrangement. Such a policy should commend itself to all parties, as. it would unquestionably commend, itself to the public. In these democratic. days : the. public, frequently goes unconsidered and neglected, but it has a clear right to j consideration when it does not make impossible demands. To dislocate. a great public service,"which is essential and necessary to the public comfort and the public convenience, and to- discontinue - large building and engineering operations which are a part of the progressive life of the community, cannot be thought, at any time, to be a friendly act. At Christmas-time, and avoidably, such action would be- hard to justify; we most earnestly hope that no justification will be required, but that the conciliatory spirit of,the season will influence all. This must be the sentiment of the public and may be adopted without- any loss of dignity by those in whose power it lies to make "our Auckland Christmas of 1911 remembered with gladness and satisfaction or to make it unhappily notorious in our - annals as the occasion of a most unfortunate and quite avoidable industrial disturbance.