CHURCH GET-TOGETHER

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1948, Page 5

CHURCH GET-TOGETHER

Importapt Steps Taken At Lambeth Taiks Received Thursday, 7 p.m. LONDON, August 19. As tlie result of conferences lield in Svdney, Honolulu, aud London, proposals for closer cooperatiun .between the Angliean dioceses in the Paeific liave been agreed upon and regular meet ings will be lield at five yearly intervals between the Bishops' coneerned. A brief reference to this matter is made iu the report of the Lambeth Conference and was ampliiied by the Bishop of Polynesia, the Rt. Kev. L. •S. Kempthorne, in an interview with the New Zealand Press Assoeiation before his departure from London. Bishop Kempthorne said he had originated the proposals which luid been first considered in iSydney iu 1945 at a conferenoe between representatives of the Chureh in New Zealand and Australia, , New Guinea, Polynesia aud Alelanesia, and later in 1947 in Honolulu when he met the Bishop of New Guinea, Bishop of Honolulu, and Bishop of Minnesota who represented the presiding bishop of the chureh in the United btates. It was then agreed that a further rneeting of all tlie Bishops coneerned should be lield prior to the Lambeth Conferenee. This meetiug had fullv approved the proposals and agreed that regular meetings between the Bishops of the Angliean dioceses in the Paeific should take place. These meetings will inelude representatives of the chureh in- the I'nited States. " "An iuteresting part about the memhership of these conferences," said Bishop Kempthorne, "is that they inelude four distinet bodies of the Angliean eoinmunion who will meet together for purposes of lnutual action in tlie s-pheres iu which thev have a great deai iu cominon. We ha\;e alreadv found ou r separate loyalties do not divide us but nfither present us with opportunities to further our worjt. " As far as New Zealaud was coneerned, said Bishop Kempthorne, its interest in Polynesia and Alelanesia, and its new intcrest in the diocese of Singapore made these discussions of some importance. Referring to his own diocese Bishop Komiithorne said , he sometimes feared the people of New Zealand did not realise that the colony of Fi.ji, situated ouly 1000 miles from the Dominion 's shores, was no longer iuliabiled only by F'ijians. There were 125,1)00 Indians living in the Piji Group and they alreadv outnumbered the native inhabitants. In addition there were several thousand energetic Chinese who, with other Asiatics, were taking- an increasingly irnportaut part in the life of the iSouth Pacilic. "This is our weal if we show wisdom iu dealing with them," said the Bishop, "but R'or our woe if they become antagonistic. " Bishop Kempthorne said that on all hands he eontinued to hear complimentary tliings said about New Zealanders iu various parts of the world. "This sliows that they possess the character and ability to liold their own and that ihe more of them there are in the world, the better,"' concluded .tlie Bishop. " It will be well for New Zealand to do evervthing in her power to attraet to her shores the best British stock so that there will be enough of them to liand on the country's higl: name. ' '