THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15132, 24 October 1912, Page 8

THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

DISCUSSED BY SYNOD, ' SOCIAL 'QUESTIONS COMMITTEE':! APPOINTED. - '■■:*", ' • '..••.■■'.■.-'•'••'• i !;: ■■ The Anglican Synod night reached r a definite'decision with'regard to its attitude : towards labour,. The question, which had; been discussed By Synod the previous day,:wits brought forward by the! Rev. C. .A. 8.. Watson,, '.>; who-::'; moved i I "That to enabld the Church to : take aj more active ■, and effective part in any. civic j mpvenient > of reform or betterment, this J Synod; appoint.a special committee, to be' known as .The Social- Questions Committee,' for the purpose of watching and acting where necessary, and;report:;• to: the next; Diocesan Synod:? * , , .: - _-, The mover said rthafc there was. no more important■ commißeion in existence, than:

I the one he proposed to set ■}. up, because, there ■ was "urgent.need- i!or' the Church ; to ■ lehow that she was really sympathetic with ''many,-' of the ideals of the Labour>.?novei "merit.' If the committee:'.were' set up "to /watch the trend of social.*reforms,.".social; 'questions must come; its purview-, iHe believed that the Church ,; hid that, j without which the labour movement must 1 fail in the long run. ~■; '; ! / Mr.- -FY/ G;. ; Ewingtbn^.;saidthat;,the !motion- was undoubtedly one of the most i important yet brought "before the Synod. ' The appointment of such ; a committee | would > commit the Church to a definite course of action. It would have the [Church's authority. The great-class war ! had-begun, and tit-.'-was /.the Church's I bounden duty, to step : into/the/ great in-; dust rial turmoil and to take its share of the action. ' - . ■ Bishop Crossley said that he thought a great mistake would be made if the per-' sonnel of the 'commission were confined to; members of the Synod. '% The .chairman, should be a man well versed in the questions which -would, come before the i *™- mission—a doctor or/a -lawyer. /The estabhshnient of such a commission might,; under ■ some circumstances,; ; do the; Church a great deal of harm. It would be necessary also for the commission, to consist of residents in Auckland, as it might 'be necessary to call/the; commissum. to act in emergencies at /very short notice.- ' He was a ■ little doubtful of the. word "acting!'; and again expressed the "' opinion thatjt •would be ; necessary to have-a very sound chairman to prevent any | mistake' on the part of the commission. •"" He suggested that the commission should' have power to add to its numbers if necessary* > - The motion was /carried/ unanimously, and Atohdeacori Calder, the Revs.; W. E. Gfllftm, W. Chitty, H. Favell, G. Wells Smailes, WsC./ wood, Dr. Roberton. and Messrs. A. S. Holmes, ;E. Hall; F. G. Ewingtoh, and G. Haddow, and, the mover were appointed. The commission -was grantedpower to add to its numbers, and the Rev. Watson was appointed,; its >■■ conI vener. / ' • ■. 1 .;' the. OKKEH7 WORKS. .', ''/■:// ////:/>///: ////////v//'•'/': /*/ /C/v// \'< DECIDE NOT TO SECEDE. "' I BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN COHRESPONBENT.] !" /. / Ws.akgakelj Wednesday. |' - .A/ ballot was taken i last , nigljit by,, the New Zealand Portland' Cement? Workers' Unionon the question of seceding from the ! Federation of labour. ; ( Cohtr/»ry; to expectations the federationists won, defeating" the proposed breakaway jiropOsal by .a two to one majority,' ■ ,^,