CHRISTIAN IDEALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 11

CHRISTIAN IDEALS.

REFORMS IN INDUSTRY. PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. DEFECTS IN PROFIT-SHARING. The Auckland Council of Christian Congregations mot last evening in St. David's Hall, the president? the Rev. Dr. H. Ranston, being in the chair. A report of a committee was read on the Companies Empowering Act, which provides for profit-sharing schemes on the lines of that suggested by Mr. H. Valder, of Hamilton. The committee thought the present wage system fell short of the Christian principle, as it stimulated self-interest instead of mutual interest, and it provided merely for a cash relationship between men. It was suggested that greater force should be given to the recognition of the value of personality and of human relationship. The Valder schema proposed that capital should not receive all profits after wages and expenses of production had been paid, but that capital should be remunerated at a fixed rate of interest, and also at a risk rate. Labour shares wero also to be issued to employees. The members of the committee were divided in opinion, but the majority held there were serious difficulties in the way of the scheme, and they could not heartily approve of it. Equal shares for capital and labour were impossible, as the scheme did not provida for equal responsibility, while it would be impossible to fix a risk rate. The scheme involved equal voting power, although the relative importance varied considerably with the business. The representatives of organised labour on tho committee wero opposed to the scheme for the following reasons:—lt recognised and approved of the capitalistic system; the efficient worker might gain and the less efficient might suffer; the capitalist spirit would be introduced among employees; tho solidarity of labour would be disrupted; and the scheme was a palliative, and therefore tended to delay the advance of social progress. Tho committee thought a much more fundamental change in industry would be needed to give the Christian ideal. If a schemo was dominated by Christian motives it would do good, but if it was dominated by selfishness, it would only add to tho present troubles, which it was the duty of Christians to remove. It was decided to receive the report and to thank the committee for its work. The report is to be printed and submitted for further consideration. Mr. W. R. Tuck gave an address on tho recent prohibition poll. He said the future policy of the prohibition party would probably include a comprehensive programme of education. A special conference would be called early in the New Year to deal with the question.