R.C. bishops critical of restructuring

Press, 12 September 1980, Page 2

R.C. bishops critical of restructuring

PA ’ ’.-Wellington “People do not exist for the service of • industry: industry exists for the service of-people,” said New .Zealand’s Roman Catholic, bishops yesterday. The bishops, in Wellington for a week-long conference, criticised the restructuring being done in the textile industry. Bishop Peter Cullinane (Palmerston North) said he suspected some of the restructuring focused more on economics than on people. The bishops disagreed with, some of the proposals to restructure the industry by the Industries Development Commission. They expressed concern about present unemployment trends and said if these to continue New Zealand would soon reach unemployment levels not experienced since the Depression of the 19305.

They spelt out four special requirements -thought necessary to combat unemployment. These were that —The Government should establish a national employment authority representative of the main groups concerned with employment; — There should be regional bodies to promote employment in concert with the national hody;’ < — There should be comprehensive legislation to ensure that industrially weaker sections of workers were justly treated; and that - There -should be. an early disclosure of information to those vitally affected by changes in technology or

changes in the structure of industry. The bishops said a 1981 Springbok tour was "quite unthinkable and unjustified,” and had made their views known to the chairman ofj the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr C. A. Blazey). “The tour is unthinkable and unjustified not only in terms of human solidarity and of Christian principles of justice but as well for the common good of New Zealand,” the bishops said. A 1981 Springbok tour would undoubtedly promote prolonged protest and divisiveness in the community, they said.

“To what end? As we continue to admire the self-sac-rifice of our young sportsmen and - sportswomen in voluntarily depriving themselves of a chance to compete at Moscow, we expect the New Zealand Rugby. Union to give a lead in the promotion of similar values among its supporters. “As a code, rugby football has no greater, claim to defiance of the Government’s view of our country’s welfare than any other sports body. ; “It shares with other sports bodies and commun-. ity agencies in general the responsibility for inculcating, in followers of its code right attitudes of civic virtue.

“A 1981 Springbok, tour would teach thousands of young men and schoolboys who play rugby that it is legitimate to deny civic values in favour of. purely selfish considerations,” the bishops said.