Archbishop Lesser On Pacific Talks

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 16

Archbishop Lesser On Pacific Talks

(Neu; Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER. May 9. The conference of churches and missionaries working In the Pacific, held in Samoa in the last fortnight was eminently worth while, said the Primate of New Zealand (Archbishop N. A. Lesser) when he returned to Napier this afternoon. “It gave a iarge number of people in isolated parts of the Pacific a sense of not working alone. It encouraged people in remote areas to feel that they were not being left out on a limb,” he said. Archbishop Lesser said the conference was held at Malua Theological College, 12 miles from Apia and was attended by nearly 80 delegates with consultants. The conference, said Archbishop Lesser, was the first of its kind and its purpose was to endeavour to discover methods of closer co-operation in the common work and common hopes. Among recommendations accepted by the conference was that the churches should accept responsibility for sex education, marriage and family counsel. It was also accepted that a central theological college should be established in the Pacific. The conference considered that the governments in the

South Pacific might give preliminary consideration, through the South Pacific Conference, to the possible establishment of a South Pacific university, said Archbishop Lesser, He said one of the important sections of the work of the conference was a series of Bible studies conducted by the Rev. Hans Ruidi Weber, of the World Council of Churches. Bishop Lesslie Newbigin, general secretary of the World Council of Churches played a prominent part in the conference and was supported by his assistant, the Rev. R. K. Orchard, of London. Suva Wharf.— Preliminary reclamation work and preparation of pile casting areas for the £2M>m reconstruction of Suva wharf has now begun, according to the Suva Public Relations Office newsletter. The first phase of the building of the new 600 ft Walu Bay berth is expected to be ready for shipping by June next year, and the whole job! including the reconstruction of Princes wharf should be finished by the end of 1963. The newsletter says that the wharf scheme will provide welcome employment in the Suva area.— (P.A.)