Governor Says Time Youth Stepped In

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30946, 30 December 1965, Page 10

Governor Says Time Youth Stepped In

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, Dec. 29. “Youth seems to think every problem is simple, but youth is often wrong,” said the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) opening the fourth ecumenical youth conference in Hamilton last night.

Sir Bernard Fergusson was referring to the main theme of the seven-day conference, church unity. “There is the old French proverb, ‘lf only youth could know and if only old age could achieve,’ ” he said. “But we in my generation have made a nonsense of this cause of unity and in this particular case, I think it’s time youth stepped in and had a go. “It’s over to you—and I mean that quite seriously,” said Sir Bernard Fergusson. Since coming to New Zealand, he and Lady Fergusson had two causes which they had chosen to put their shoulders behind, he said. “One is the coming together of the Maori and European and the other church unity.” The chairman, the Rt. Rev. J. T. Holland, Bishop of Waikato, described the conference as “a kind of United Nations in miniature.” “It is particularly pleasing that this is the first conference at which delegates of

the Roman Catholic Church have been present,” he said.

“No matter who we are or where we come from, each of us has a separate contribution to make. “This conference is new; it is experimental; it is bold. It is trying to help us hear the Gospel in new ways, and having heard it, to pass it on to others,” the Governor said.

The traditional challenge was led by the Rev. Napi Waaka and items were given by a Maori concert party. A large audience filled the William Paul Hall in the whiter show buildings.