Dr. Pownall To Attend Malaysian Conference

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30368, 18 February 1964, Page 12

Dr. Pownall To Attend Malaysian Conference

The Vice-chancellor of the University of Canterbury (Dr. L. L. Pownall) will

leave on Thursday for Kuala Lumpur, where he will attend a select conference on the problems of development in South-east Asia and the Pacific and the changing relationships in this and other regions.

The conference, called by the Council on World Tensions, New York, will be held in co-operation with the University of Malaysia. It will bring together leaders of South and South-east Asia and some from the developing areas of Africa and Latin America for talks with representatives of the industrialised nations of Western Europe and North America. The leaders include the Prime Minister of Malaysia (Tunku Abdul Rahman), the Minister of Justice in Kenya (Mr Tom Mboya), the United States Ambassador to- the United Nations (Mr Adiai

Stevenson), and the Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations (Sir Zafrulla Khan). The conference will be unofficial, and members have been invited because oi special knowledge and experience in development problems. They will participate solely in their personal capacities. Discussions will be “off the record” to encourage a frank critical analysis of past causes of tensions. A joint search will be made tor new ideas and methods of improving situations of tension. It is expected that this will be by way of improving

economic and social conditions. Included in the conference will be leaders from academic circles, business and public affairs, and many engaged in economic planning and international aid. Specialised groups will meet first in seminars and then come together in plenary sessions. The talks are designed ultimately to give informed public opinion, on possible new policies and schemes of assistance. It is hoped that there may be some fairly immediate results, but the conference will be more concerned with schemes of long-term value. Apart from his academic and teaching experience as a geographer in the university. Dr. Pownall has served as a consultant in New Zealand and overseas on housing, town planning, and land use.