Debating— Sex and All That

Promiscuity was the topic under discussion when Debating Society activities for 1958 went off to a flying start on Friday, 18th April. Assentions distinctly non-academic provoked interjections and laughter which seemed somewhat out of place in C.3's lecture room atmosphere.

Doogue, this year's President, briefly outlined the year's activities, the tradition and history of the society and the prizes open for competition and the year's first debate on the motion that man is a prociscuous animal was on.

Larsen, opening for the affirmative, gave the first surprise of the evening by trying to steer the debate away from the sexual aspects of the motion to the diversity of human activities. This only had the effect of making the audience simmer expectantly for the negative's reply.

For the negative, experienced speaker Whitta, having no illusions as to what the audience wanted to hear gave the affirmative both barrels. He told the expectant audience that the negative would not only show that the mal animal was not promiscuous but would go further and show that the female animal was. In a delightful mixture of whimsy and fact with the Kinsey reports to the fore Whitta made things decidedly awkward for Fernyhough, affirmative second speaker.

Fernyhough bravely attempted to return to the thread of his leader's argument but soon succumbed to the large red herring thrown across his path by Whitta. Once more it was Kinsey to the fore with the audience in glee.

O'Brien, seconding Whitta, kept the argument solidly on sex with some success and it was then the turn of floor speakers.

Wigges kept the audience at a high level of anticipation and then new speaker Preston took the centre of the floor and by a series of brilliant syllogisms effectively exploded the arguments of both affirmative and negative. His efforts gained the perceptive ear of adjudicator Denys Garrett, himself an exceptionally able speaker and debater, who placed him first speaker for the evening.

Following this performance new speaker Henrickes turned on an almost equally meritorious performance—he electing to present a personal serious point of view.

Roberts suavely showing his knowledge of the art of Girl Watching expertly added two and two together to make four to prove the affirmative's case by a tricky line of statistics.

Past-President Thomas (neg.) was greeted with a murmur of anticipation and took full advantage of the position with the best told story of the evening. Briefly it went this way. The master of a fox hunt had a very nice bitch dog and it happened to be the time of the year when male dogs were more than a little interested in their female counterparts. When the hunt had been progressing for some time imagine the surprise of the Hunt Master when he saw his bitch well out in front and the fox running a poor fifth.

Dent (neg.) also came out with a story but while more closely connected to his argument that man was not promiscuous because he did not get a chance to be it could not compare with that of Thomas's.

Miss Boyle was next to speak for the negative but she replied more on logic than the close to the wind double talk which had been prominent.

After Doogue (neg.) had introduced the categorical imperative and a new line of logical argument Whitta summed up with fluency for the negative and Larsen did his not inconsiderable best to tic the case up for the affirmative.

However, when the vote was taken the large audience by a five to one majority decided that man was not a promiscuous animal.

Adjudicator Garrett started off with a glowing reference to Debating Society traditions and then showed old and new speakers just where their faults lay with a sharp analysis of tactics, methods and speeches which was of considerable interest to all present.

Thus ended a lively evening of wit, humour and neat argument and in all a good introduction to the lighter side of debating.

The next debate is the eagerly awaited Staff-Student annual battle with the students affirming the motion "That Conformity Breeds Morons".

Place: Little Theatre.

Time and Date: 8.15 p.m.

Friday, 2nd May.

J Pudge: Dr. Currie, N.Z.U.