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The Spike or Victoria College Review, June 1907

Debating Society

page 36

Debating Society

"Give thy thought no tongue
Nor any unproportioned thought his act."

—Hamlet.

Urquent Rustritice Sane.

TThe meetings of the Debating Society are this year attracting more interest than ever, probably as the result of the success at Auckland, and the now numerous prizes for which members of the Society can compete. The subjects of debate at the first three meetings have been neither easy to handle nor strikingly inspiring, and yet under these circumstances there have been both an abundance of speakers and large ands interested audiences.

Early in the session His Excellency the Governor was elected patron of the Society, and has graciously accepted the office. The interest which Excellency has taken in the Society makes it all the more desirable that his connection with it should be an official one.

We are sorry to have to note that in the first three debates our lady members have contributed but one speech to the society's deliberations. The political subjects included in the syllabus doubtless offer but few attractions to the lady members, but the historical and literary subject surely afford some scope for the exercise of the literary learning which must have been accumulated in the ordinary Arts course. The ladies of Canterbury College appear to be not merely active, but even pugnacious, members of the Dialectic Society. They have actually undertaken, not only to prove "That Bachelors should be tacked," but also to conduct the defence of that long suffering class of humanity against those who would add one to the many burdens beneath which it struggles.

In the first debate, held on 20th April, G. V. Bogle, seconded by J. M. Hogben, moved "That female franchise should be granted in England." The arguments of the movers were directed not so much towards shewing that there were good reasons why women should vote, as there was no reason why page 37 they should not. They enlisted the sympathy of their audience, and neither the persuasiveness of R. Mason nor the blandishments of S. Eichelbaum availed to convince to the contrary. Eichelbaum, who was making his maiden speech to the Society, endeavored to shew that though the female franchise on New Zealand is a political discernment made it impracticable there. This suggestion was warmly repudiated by H, E, Evans who assured the audience that he could not allow himself to be associated with any such suggestion. The first five places were awarded by Mr. Black as follows: R. Mason (1), Eichelbaum (2), W. J. McEldowney (3), and 4th and 5th places equally divided among Bogle J. M. Hogben and D. S. Smith.

At the second meeting V. B. Willis, seconded by A. MacDougall, moved "That Cromwell did more than William III towards establishing the freedom of the people of the United Kingdom." J. Mason and D. S. Smith opposed, and notwithstanding one or two slightly mixed metaphors and a great deal of eloquent pleading on behalf of the maligned Oliver, the advocates of the less obtrusive William carried the day by 16 votes to 14. Mr. J. W. Betterton, D. S. Smith, Willis and Gibb.

A very amusing debate was held on May 18th upon a motion "That Industrial Arbitration is, and has been shewn to be, a failure." Messrs O'Leary and Willis supported the motion and were opposed by Messrs Kelly and Bretherton. From competition for the Union Prize, the first five places were awarded by the Rev. Father Keogh to Messrs Kelly, Boyce, MacDougall, R. Mason, and Lankshear. Boyce made a good speech upon a subject with he was evidently familiar, bur would be more effective if he spoke more slowly. Lankshear, too, spoke well, and followed the wise policy of choosing for his maiden speech a subject upon which he had both personal knowledge and personal conviction.

As we go to press, the fate of Ireland is hanging in the balance. The ever fruitful subject of Home Rule is again on the syllabus for discussion, and though we are sure the debate will be interesting, we are confident that the meeting will not be held to be an "unlawful assembly" within the meaning of the Criminal Code Act.