Unsuccessful Meeting

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31167, 17 September 1966, Page 1

Unsuccessful Meeting

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 16. The Moderator and some members of the Auckland Presbytery yesterday met the committee of the newly-formed Presbyterian Laymen’s Association—but a Presbytery spokesman said today the meeting was “a bit of a washout.” He said the Presbytery felt

a pastoral responsibility for the laymen and wanted them to act in a more moderate way.

It had not been able to stop the public meeting planned for Sunday. A member of the laymen's committee said today that the discussions had been conducted “very graciously.” The meeting on Sunday will be addressed by the Moderator (the Rt. Rev. J. M. Bates).

The Presbytery said the action committee of the association had agreed to “certain significant changes” in the programme for the meetling.

Three speakers at the meeting will be Mr I. Moses, Mr D. Geddes, and Mr R. J. Wardlaw. Sir William Goodfellow, one of the association’s patrons, has denied reports that he intends to speak. “I most certainly will not be speaking,” he said today. “But 1 will try to attend the meeting if I am well enough.” The other patron, Sir James Fletcher, does not yet know whether he will be available to attend the meeting. But he is still fully behind the association. The chairman of the meeting will be Mr H. D. Lambie, Mayor of Manukau City, and chairman of the Auckland Regional Authority. “I see nothing wrong with holding this meeting,” he said. “Laymen should have an opportunity to discuss a matter which is causing them concern.”