Need seen to review strategies of aid

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32967, 13 July 1972, Page 6

Need seen to review strategies of aid

The general pattern of suffering in the world today is greater than at any previous time in history, according to the assistant general secretary of the National Council of Churches in New Zealand (the Rev. R. M. O’Grady), who spoke in Christchurch yesterday. Addressing the annual meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Save the Children Fund, Mr O’Grady said that hunger was more widespread now than ever previously known. “At the moment, the battle for survival is not going our way,” he said. “Suffering has intensified, and the gap between the rich and the poor has grown. It is necessary to review our strategies.” It was increasingly obvious that there were too many people for the world’s resources and that the startling growth of population would have to be checked, Mr O’Grady said. “Although it is a serious problem now, within the next 30 years it will reach crisis point. Three developments will aggravate the situation. FORCE OF NUMBERS

“First, there is the sheer force of numbers. South America, for example, with more than 250 million people now, will reach 500 million by the late 1880 s. “Then there are the discoveries in medical science in the West,” said Mr O’Grady. “On present schedules, the life expectancy of man will increase by 50 years by the end of the century. Man should live an average of 125 years. The effect will be dramatically to increase the total population, especially among the aged.

“The third new factor is the environmental effect of too many people. In our generation, we have discovered that the resources of the earth are finite. Mother Earth cannot indefinitely go on making checks for our greed and our mistakes. Since pollution and environmental destruction are caused by people, it is axiomatic that more people means more danger.”

POPULATION CONTROL Of all the areas of aid, population control was the most critical for our future, said Mr O’Grady. “Unless we make some immediate response, we are faced with aid problems of enormous magnitude and perhaps a threat to life itself.” Humanitarian aid was an important factor. “Those of us involved in voluntary-aid programmes must operate from a humanitarian stance. No other position is permitted.” However, there was often some difficulty in putting this principle into practice. “Take the position with Vietnam,” said Mr O’Grady. “Our aid to that area of the world has been politically determined and is not truly humanitarian. From New Zealand, we send considerable aid to the people of the South, but completely ignore the North. Indeed, when agencies are thought to be giving aid to the North they receive a visit from the security police,” said Mr O’Grady. He personally welcomed the decision of the World Council of Churches to increase greatly the supply of medical aid to the North, said Mr O’Grady. “It is a basic tenet of Christianity to love one’s enemies,” he said. OFFICERS ELECTED The meeting was chaired by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G. Pickering). The president of the branch (Mrs A. W. S. Ritchie) paid a tribute to the founder of the S.C.F. in New Zealand and president

of the North Canterbury branch, Miss M. G. Havelaar, who died last year.

Officers elected are: President, Mrs Ritchie; vice-presidents, Mesdames J. L. Pearson and D. A. Hewson; secretary, Mrs J. R. Withlngton; sponsorship secretary, Mrs A. McColl; treasurer, Mr A. McColl; publicity officer, Mrs N. J. McPhail; Christmas card officer, Mr T. W. C. Tothill; committee, officers named and Lady Clark-Hall, Lady Manning, Misses P. Blathwayt, M. L. Bowen and M. O’Gorman, Mesdames R. F. Ballantyne, T. J. Brocherie, L. T. Carpinter, G. P. A. de Latour, A. R. Guthrey, F. J. Gorton, A. O. Hawkins, J. L. Huston, D. J. Jenkins, J. K. Lush, D. J. Macmillan, L. Newberry, C. D. Newton, H. Payne, A. L. Reddiford, A. M. Riches, D. L. Taylor and G. N. Thiele.