WORLD AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 12

WORLD AFFAIRS.

ASSEMBLY'S DEBATE.

ATTITUDE OF CHURCH. SESSIONS CONTINUED. Many controversial subjects, including mandates and colonies, conscientious objectors and armaments, were raised in the report of the committee on international relations presented at last night's session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The debate was the most active held during the course of the assembly. The Rev. F. H. Wilkinson, who presented the report, moved a resolution asking the Government to urge upon the League of Nations an extension of the mandate system to cover all colonial territory dependencies. New Zealand should give a lead in the extension of the mandate system, he said. It would create the idea that the Dominion was prepared to share world resources With other people. This was the only way out of the dispute over the possession of territories where there were backward people, said the Rev. J. D. Smith. The German people had good cause to desire the return of colonies if the old competitive system was to be retained. The real way to meet those claims, however, was for those who had sovereignty over these dependencies to tell the world that they did not want to develop them in any selfish way. The motion was carried. The v next recommendation, that the Xew Zealand Government, in accordance with Article VIII. of the League Covenant, should seek . guidance from the League regarding the strength of its armaments, was described as the sort of moral example that New Zealand should be setting.

The Rev. W. Lawton Marsh said the proposal was utterly impracticable. After further discussion the debate ended suddenly, Dr. E. N. Merrington moving that the assembly pass on to discussion of a fresh subject.

The new leisure, the housing scheme and the economic order were dealt with when the report of the social relationships committee was presented by the Rev. J. D. Smith. He expressed regret that the Church had slackened its concern for those in poverty as soon as economic conditions improved. The pressure was only being transferred to another class, he said, and "haves" would find themselves in the position of the "have nots." He hoped the Church not be lackadaisical in these problems.

A great increase in week-end drinking had been reported to the committee, with consequent effects on home life. The temperance committee proposed to ask the Government to place on hotels the restrictions that were placed on other businesses. A further recommendation to the Government to introduce a course of citizenship training throughout the school period, to be continued voluntarily beyond that stage, was suggested.

The debate was adjourned,