Church discussion on Springbok tour

Press, 9 February 1981, Page 6

Church discussion on Springbok tour

'Church leaders at the Nat-, jional Council of Churches li (general meeting in Palm-i jerston North will today dis- . cuss issues such as opposition to the forthcoming! ’Springbok rugby tour, rac-j, ism within.;’ New-' Zealand, (’ and pverseas aid. It is the [ second'day of the meeting. I Yesterday, the leaders of: 11 denominatiQns attended!’ the. opening service ...held . at . St Andrew’s Presbyterian; Church. Tire council’s general sec- : retary, . the Rev. Angus . MacLeod, said that confer- . ence delegates would gather 1 into groups to discuss re- ( potts on the various issue's, j anti resolutions would be put i

I to the.- plenary session to'n'.crroxy.. i Mr MacLeod said that one (of .he most important items (would be what form of pronest would be used when the (Springboks toured New Zeai’ann later this year,. ! A "proposal will he. dis I cussed to invite a .team -i (South Africans to New Zealand to .<ner»d a mon*h or so a grmin visiting nv.jaes. i sports ti yms, and taking a look at a non-aw’hqki sc> •• ty. M Mar.l.eod said ti at the group would incluqe -wo Afrikaners, two blacks, and •wo Co’G_reds and they would be invited to c -nc.'W that tne Churches wo.-?, not just being relative in c.pposing the Snr rgbok tour I

The evening session tbdriy will be devoted to represen- : tatives of the Pacific. ; Churcnes vvno would give a ■ “Pacific ' -e.v of New Zea- - land,” Mr MacLeod sa'J. - . The ,?«netal secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Mrs Lorine Tevi; wiii discuss New Zeal'".is - relationshi i with the Pacific i countries and how overseas . aid should be spent there. i Other topics to be .-.is-. I cussed today include nuc.ear disarmament in the Pacific. .- the resettlement of refugees > in New Zealand, racism in I New Zealand, and the Churches’ attitudes to the! Treaty of Waitangi in the! light of demonstrations last; (Friday. I