Pan Pacific Group’s Aims

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29802, 19 April 1962, Page 2

Pan Pacific Group’s Aims

An appeal to members of Country Women’s Institutes and other women's organisations to give practical support to the aims and work of the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association, was made yesterday by the association's national secretary (Mrs Gertrude Creei at the annual council meeting of the Canterbury East Federation of Country Women’s Institutes.

Explaining to more than 60 institute delegates and members the basic principles underlying her organisation’s activities, Mrs Cree said that although the Pan Pacific association recognised and supported the work of various bodies such as the United Nations and C.0.R.5.0., it was not in itself a fundraising organisation. “Basically we are trying to work towards the creation of a body of public opinion which is inclined favourably towards good relations with our Pacific neighbours. And the reason for this? Because we believe that this is the only way that peace will ultimately be attained and maintained in the Pacific. "What we are aiming at eventually is helping towards the formation of a pacific Pacific," she said. With Europe today fast becoming an economic entity, it was important for New Zealanders to tealise that although the Pacific basin was already a geographic entity it was far from being a similarly closely-knit economic unit. "Sitting smug and self satisfied on the edge of this seething, simmering cauldron of unrest, the people of this country could wel, question the possibility of such a stage ever being reached amongst the Pacific countries." she said. Mrs Cree give reasons for the widespread turbulence throughput the area, and reminded members of the growing numbers and nearness of “our Pacific neighbours.” “It is no good blinking at the bare fact that we in New Zealand are considerably outnumbered. As was said at our recent Dominion annual meeting, the time is now past when we can look at these peoples with patronage or charity—just giving them our surpluses to keep them quiet. What we must do is to teach them to make the most of their own countries." i Without disputing the

reality of New Zealanders' Christian obligations towards these peoples, the realistic law of self-preservation was undoubtedly an equally important consideration. Mrs Cree said. Histoid everywhere had shown just what could occur when the unequal balance of opportunity developed amongst a people.

Even in New Zealand today the south-bound Maori population drift was a result of similar tendencies.

b But above all, the people in New Zealand needed to realise that any real help given to the Pacific people must necessarily be given on equal friendship terms. “And triendship involves not only giving but accepting. We in the West must thus learn not only to be donor nations. This is the contribution which we can make towards the peace of the Pacific.” said Mrs Cree. One of the most practical ways in which New Zealand people could show their friendship with their Asian neighbours was . through offering hospitality to visiting Colombo Plan students from South-east Asia. Country women particularly could be of great assistance in inviting these students to their families to stay for holidays and week-ends. “These students just love going out into the country here.” she said.