Ecumenical Farming Centre Suggested

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30191, 24 July 1963, Page 14

Ecumenical Farming Centre Suggested

A farming project which would establish a selfsupporting centre for the work of the National Council of Churches was suggested to the council’s annual meeting in Christchurch last night. Mr R. Kilgour, a New Zealand graduate who has been working in Indonesia for four years as a volunteer graduate, said that a valuable dairying property was available near Christchurch which could provide an ecumenical training centre for lay workers and an opportunity for visiting Asians to learn something of the New Zealand way of life at first hand. During his work in Indonesia. he said, he had found that many students returning home after studying in New Zealand had gained a valuable breadth of outlook during their time away from home, quite apart from their study. This broadening was extremely valuable to Indonesia in the sense of purpose it gave to their work, and it could be encouraged and increased by the farming centre.

This was a plan and purpose of his own, but he felt that the council could benefit from it if it was prepared to become involved, Mr Kilgour said.

The farm would be a place where the churches could try

to get across to the New Zealander an understanding of the real contribution needed to South-east Asia as a Godgiven privilege. It would also be a training ground for those who wanted to work in Asia.

Indonesia particularly was short of dairy produce and in need of it, and the farm would be a place where prac-

tical dairying could be studied at first hand by Asian visitors or Colombo Plan students. At the same time it would pay its own way as a conference and study centre in surroundings away from the city.

“New Zealand needs a challenge as big as South-east Asia to save it from stagnation and complete isolation,” Mr Kilgour said. “We have security but still chase it, and we need Asia against which to give thanks and estimate what good fortune we have. We have lost our drive to work, and things are too easy. We need more emphasis than ever on volunteer work, and we need Asian studies and seminars to keep us alive to the real issues of Asia. Such things would have a place at the farm.”

People gave money for projects but did not like a continuing burden. The proposed ecumenical centre could be made efficient and self-supporting, and could give funds for other development.

Detailed study would have to be given to the proposal, but it would certainly receive much thought in the National Council at Churches, said the associate general secretary (the Rev. D. M. Thy lor). Mr Kilgour will leave soon for a further three-year term Ln Indonesia, working tor a private firm. He was previously overseas under the Volunteer Service Abroad scheme. He hopes to return to New Zealand and work on the ecumenical project in association with the National Council of Churches.

London Heat.— Today was London’s hottest day since September, 1961, with the temperature reaching 79 degrees Fahrenheit.—London. July 22.