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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 1, No. 19 September 6, 1938

V.U.C. Five Points Behind

V.U.C. Five Points Behind

Most of the students present at Massey Agricultural College to hear the debates for the Joynt Scroll had heard better debating in their own college halls. The standard was certainly high, but as Mr. Oram said, the public were entitled to expect something a great deal higher. The Universities were making a public appearance; the teams were supposed to be the best speakers from their respective colleges; we were putting on a full-dress show. But if we wanted to impress the public we failed.

The audience smiled frequently and nodded its head in appreciation of a point well made and thought the students looked nice; but there was no thunderous applause, no scandalised expressions, no excitement. With a subject like "Religion has been throughout the Ages an Obstacle to Progress," one might expect bright students to give the public a shock, pleasant or otherwise, but instead, that placid monster went home quietly to supper, talking about the lovely building.

The tone of the contest can be judged by the fact that there was only one "sensation" throughout the three debates. Mr. A. L. McCulloch shattered the calm with an interjection from his place on the dais and then looked as if he wanted to get under the table. His remark was ignored, and there were no further incidents.

The chairman during the afternoon was Mr. A. J. Gilmour, of Massey College, and during the evening, Mr. A. P. Blair, president of N.Z.U.S.A. The judges, Messrs. M. H. Oram, J. Murray and Rev. J. Hubbard, all of Palmerston North, placed Otago first and Victoria second.