PLANNING OF FAMILIES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29021, 9 October 1959, Page 12

PLANNING OF FAMILIES

Churches Support

Move

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 8.

The Church of England’s attitude to family planning was defined at Lambeth, and generally was in line with the findings of the World Council of Churches' committee which had just been published, an Anglican Church spokesman said today. He was commenting on the findings of this group, sponsored by the World Council of Churches and the International Missionary Council, recently published in the press. The group supported family planning as part of the answer to a world-wide population explosion.

It found the limitation or spacing of children morally valid The Lambeth view was that parents had the responsibility of exercising their own consciences in the matter. Their decisions must be mutually acceptable and compatible with the duties and responsibilities of marriage. World population considerations were mentioned in the Lambeth report on this subject. The Rev. E. S. Hoddinott said the Methodist Church had never officially declared itself on the issue, but it could probably be said that the group’s findings represented the general attitude of the Methodist communion.

The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand would generally accept the committee’s findings, said the Rev. J. S. Somerville. “The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States passed a resolution along such lines in May this year,’’ said Mr Somerville.

Archbishop P- T. B. McKeefry, Metropolitan of New Zealand said the Roman? Catholic Church’s views on the matter were well known.