RHODESIA POLICY

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30980, 9 February 1966, Page 10

RHODESIA POLICY

Methodists Thanked 1 [ The president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand (the Rev. R. A. Witheford) has received the following I reply to a letter sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in which the attitude of the 1 Methodist Church to the political situation in Rhodesia • was expressed. “Thank you for your letter of January 17 in which you convey to me the text of a statement setting out the : attitude of the Methodist Church in New Zealand to the present situation in Rhodesia,” the letter says. “I appreciate the interest of your church in this complex and tragic problem. “The New Zealand Govern(inent agrees that at the appropriate time negotiations will be necessary to re-estab-lish Constitutional government in Rhodesia. Until there is a willingness to negotiate on the part of a substantial number of Europeans, however, meaningful discussion is clearly not possible. “The policy of sanctions is j designed to weaken support I for the illegal authorities in I the hope that there will ! emerge a body of moderate j opinion agreeable to the order■ly extension of power to the j African majority. | “It is the belief of this Govi ernment that the sanctions are i proving effective and that discussions on the future development of Rhodesia for the benefit of all its peoples will soon take place."

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