Speeches by clergyman and diplomat draw fire

Press, 26 April 1984, Page 8

Speeches by clergyman and diplomat draw fire

PA Wellington A Presbyterian minister in Auckland and the British High Commissioner in Wellington delivered Anzac Day speeches which drew sharp reactions yesterday. The Rev. Rinny Westra’s declaration during the Auckland dawn parade that New Zealand forces were being trained to support oppressors rather than defend New Zealand proved unpopular with both the Returned Services Association and his church.

The president of the Auckland R.S.A., Mr R. F. Hanna, said that Mr Westra, in attacking defence policy, had been “right out of turn on the occasion.” “The members were incensed,” he said. During Mr Westra’s speech a number of people in the crowd walked out. Afterwards both Mr Westra and a radio station which

broadcast his speech, received angry calls. Mr Westra, who convened the Christians for Peace

group in July, 1982, said in his speech that the scenario of the recent exercises on Great Barrier Island was that of New Zealand forces being called on to go to an island State and support the president of that State in putting down an uprising by a disaffected population of that country. “Isn’t that contrary to what many of the people we remember today stood for?” he asked.

The Moderator of the Auckland Presbytery, the Rev. J. T. Gunn, said that he had not been consulted on the choice of Mr Westra for the dawn service. “If it had come to me, he would have been the last person I would have suggested,” said Mr Gunn. “His views are entirely

his own and are not to be taken as representing the Presbyterian Church.

“It seems extraordinary to me that anyone would have chosen such a place to say such things. A speech which engenders resentment and hurt and anger can hardly be expected to further the cause of the Gospel.” Mr Gunn said the matter was likely to be discussed at the next meeting of the presbytery on May 8 and disciplinary acton could be taken.

In Wellington, a speech by the British High Commissioner, Sir Richard Stratton, drew sharp reaction from a different quarter. Greenpeace and the Cam-

paign for Nuclear Disarmament organisations ! said they were incensed by what they saw as an attack by Sir Richard on the peace movement. Sir Richard said that he was becoming wearied by peace campaigners’ apparent assumption that those who did not scream for peace were hell-bent on another world war; or that those who did not scream for nuclear disarmament were hell-bent on a nuclear holocaust.

“Their implied assumption is a slur on our intelligence,” he said.

Sir Richard’s “rather emotive attack” was to be regretted, the two organisations said.