Peace convention headline ‘misleading’

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 11

Peace convention headline ‘misleading’

Press coverage of the final day of the International Peace Conference in Wellington last week-end was criti-. cised by a delegate who was at the convention when he! addressed a meeting in Christchurch last evening. The Press Association re-' port of I he rowdy ending to the conference was printed by most papers of Monday. “The Press" headlined the! story, "Rowdy scene ends peace conference.” The story described noisy delegates screaming for a vote to be, taken by the full conference , on proposals considered by I several conference groups. "It was a case of bad headlines which had little relation to the story, it was also misleading because only about three or four people were, shouting," said Mr Warwick Mather, who is a member of the co-ordinating committee for the International Convention for Peace Activities.; He was addressing a public meeting at the Corso rooms. Three overseas delegates to the convention also) attended the meeting. Mr Mather said there was overwhelming support for the way the convention was run: and any resolutions were intended only as guidelines. M last night's meeting, Mr M. Osberg, a founder mem--

ber of the Pacific Life Community in Vancouver, told of his group’s fight to stop the United States Trident sub- : marines, which he referred ; to as “doomsday weapons.” "We are trying to have permission refused for Tridents to travel the Juan de Fuca Strait between the United States and Canada,” Mr Osberg said. “Forty billion dollars has been budgeted for them, which is siphoning off money which could be used to help cure the world's problems.” Mr Andrew Hewlett, of the Australian Peace Liaison Committee, spoke of his organisation’s concern for East Timor.

- “It is estimated 60.000' f.people had died there by this! e;time last year, and Aus-1 -itralians are trying to do; d something because Timor is; so close to them.” s I Mr Hewlett appealed to; -'New Zealanders (o voice, s' their protest, as little had: e - been done here so far. ”l Mr Chitta Biswas, of the! .World Peace Council in Hels'sinki, told the 70 people at . the meeting that if peace did /.not mean having the basic 51 necessities to live, then it ’ meant nothing to the ordin- ; ary people of the world. i The three visitors are -1 being taken around the; tiSouth Island this week to] explain their work for peace.!