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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, June 1909

[Review of the activities of the Debating Society]

"Here rills of oily eloquence in soft meanders, lubricate the course they take."

Cowper

Urquent Rustice Sane.

FFor yet another year the Debating Society maintains its position in public popularity at the College; the attendances at the debates this year have averaged over a hundred, and there have been more speakers than enough. In fact to the bored onlooker, it is at times amusing to observe the frantic endeavourers of eager speakers to catch the chairman's eye. But oh ! how we long for some of the speaker of yester-year! For those touches of unconscious and predecessors bubbling with merriment! 'Tis true that the present standard of speaking is much above that of some of those former days, but the present day audiences would be so grateful, so undoundedly thankful for even one humourist who would cheer them on their way.

The care and attention which are evidently given to the preparatiou of matter for the debates, reflects great credit on the speaker. But the faults which are so painfully prominent in every debate would make a Baeyertz weep. The faulty pronunciations and terrible enunciation which are heard at every debates are inexcusable — particularly so in a University Debating Society. As stanch New Zealanders, we should be delighted to deny the existence of any such thing as "twang"; but we have Listened to Victoria College debates. If every member of the Debating Society would be better able to listen to the matter which he already know how to prepare.

One difficulty has faced the society this session: so many speakers have been desirous of speaking that freshman, unless page 59 they have even more than the usual supply of undergraduate forwardness, find some trouble in obtaining a chance to speak. It is undoubtedly an incentive to nervousness for a young speaker to have to sit for a minute or two balanced on the edge of his chair, and then to spring to his feet in the endeavour to attract the chairman's eye before his neighbour. It has been suggested that a small new speaker's society should be founded. But to us it seems that this is both undesirable and unnecessary. The difficulty would be overcome if the committee decreed that any member desirous of speaking should notify the draw the names indiscriminately and decide the order of speaking by the order of drawing. If time remained after those speakers had finished other members of the Society who had been smitten with ideals during the debates could express their views.

The first debates this year was disappointing. The standard of speaking was very poor; the speakers placed the blame on the subject; and the audience pitied the subject. Fortunately however, the subsequent debates have reached a high level, especially with regard to the matter brought forwarded by the various speakers. One of the debates was particularly pleasing by reason of the fact that the fair fields of eloquence were laid wate by an Amazonian invasion. On the night in question the movers and seconders were all lady-speakers. The Spike wishes that such invasions were more frequent. The ladies certainly failed to grip the whole subject, showing a tendency to attach too much weight and to devote too much time to minor points. But the mere man has much to learn before he attains to the standard set by the ladies as far as diction is concerned. If the ladies would but allow the male student to attend their debates, we feel sure that the latter— despite his innate conceit— would be educated to a better style of diction and delivery.

There is one other feature of this year's debates which we should like to mention. The Spike well remembers the time when no speech seemed to be considered worthy of delivery unless frequently punctuated with artificial ornamentation. We seem now to be pending to the other extreme. At every debate, and particularly at that on Indian self government, the sarcastic speaker has been Much in evidence. The vein of sarcasm seems to be in danger of being worked out. An occasional touch of irony is excellent, but a reiteration of ironical remarks becomes monotonously appalling.