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Debating Society

It is with pleasure that we have to record a successful year's debates, most of which have been very well attended. The membership, however, although increasing, is not yet as Large as it might be, possible owing to the "financial stringency" affecting most students. In the last issue of the "Spike" we mentioned the fact that as yet there was no Dramatic Club at V.U.C. This vacancy among the College clubs has now been filled by the promotion of a Dramatic Club, which has already had several successful readings.

The third debate of the year, which was held on June 4th, look the form of a "Visitors' Debate," the motion for discussion being, "That this Society deplores the revolutionary tendency of the Labour Party.

The mover, Mr. S. A. Wiren, B.A. LL.M., was seconded by Mr. J. Hutcheson, and the opposer, Mr. P. Martin-Smith, by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P.

Mr. Wiren, sifter giving a number of examples of utterances of prominent labour leaders showing the general revolutionary aims of the labour movement, condemned revolutionary methods of reform, and strongly advocated the betterment of existing conditions by constitutional means.

Mr. Martin-Smith maintained that a revolutionary change meant a fundamental change, and not necessarily a violent one. The New Zealand Labour Party intended to obtain a revolutionary change by constitutional methods. Mr. J. Hutcheson, in seconding the mover, showed the vast changes which had taken place in the conditions of the working classes during the last quarter of a century, and stated that these changes had been achieved by evolution and not by revolution. He held that this was the time for kindly words and kindly actions, not for violence.

Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., then took up the cudgels on behalf of the New Zealand Labour Party, and challenged his opponents to find anything advocating or prompting violence in the platform of that Party. He said that revolution was not essentially violent, it was merely a culmination of evolution. After a number of other speakers had aired their views on the subject the motion was carried.

The Judge. Mr. G.G.G. Watson, M.A., LL.B., placed the best five speakers in the following order : Messrs. Martin-Smith, Evans, Wiren, Haigh and Davidson.

The Presidential Address was delivered by Professor Boyd-Wilson on Wednesday. the 8th June. The Professor took as his subject, "University Life, Old and New." confining most of his attention to tracing the foundation and early history of Oxford and Cambridge. He drew a striking comparison between the conditions of medieval students and those of the students of to-day. He concluded by saying that the University has to make possible a time of study and close intercourse between teacher and teacher, and teacher and pupil.

The fourth debate of the season centred round the motion. "That the People of Ireland should be given fullest liberty to determine their own form of government."Messrs. F. H. Haigh and C. Q. Pope Supported the motion and Messrs, G, O, Cooper and H. McCormick opposed it. Mr. Haigh stated that the English and Irish were distinct peoples, and that consequently the Irish had a right to determine their own form of government. The majoirity of the people in Ireland desired self-determination. Ulster constituted only a small minority, and there were minorities in all new states. Mr. Cooper said that he was in favour of self-determination for the Irish when they showed themselves ready for it but from the way affairs were proceeding in Ireland at present he did not consider that they were ready for it yet. After a spirited discussion the motion was carried by one vote.

The Rev. H. E. Bellhouse acted as Judge, and placed the speakers as follows: Messrs. Martin-Smith, P.J. Smith, Cooper, Sheat and Haigh.

The annual debate with the Wellington Social Democratic Party took place on the 2nd of July, the motion being. "That the best guarantee of social comfort can only be obtained by taking the control of industry out of private hands, and placing it in the hands of the workers engaged therein." The motion was moved page 48 and seconded by the representatives of the Social Democratic Party, Messrs. T. Brindle and . Thorn, and opposed by Messrs. Sheat and Tonkin. Mr. Brindle maintained that the object of industry was to produce the best quality and quantity of goods possible for the benefit of the community. Self-government in industry was just as important as self-government in politics Mr. Sheat held that no advance in economic welfare would be accomplished until there was an equal advance in moral and intellectual welfare. Had they any guarantee that if the workers had control of their industries there would be production for use and not for profit? Mr. Thorn said that if the workers were already proving their ability to control some industries better than the capitalists, as they were, could they not control all industries? Mr. Tonkin contended that the taking over of control by the workers would mean revolution in order to enforce a purely hypothetical system. The motion, after some discussion, was declared lost by a substantial majority.

On Saturday, the 16th July, the Society debated the motion, "That the Peace Treaty is economically impossible and politically unjustifiable." The movers wore Messrs. W.D.P. Kitching and W. A. Sheat, and the opposers Messrs. H. McCormick and Sawtell. Mr. Kitching said that in the Armistice Agreement the Allies had laid down the basis on which the Peace Treaty was to rest, but they did not beep to that Agreement. The stringency of the reparation clauses alone would render the Treaty nugatory. Mr. McCormick opposed the idea that the hand of friendship should he immediately extended to Germany, and pointed out that the lion tamer took care that t he lion's claws were clipped before he attempted to tame it. After the motion had been carried by a small majority, the Judge, Mr. A. R. Atkinson, placed the best five speakers in the following order: Messrs. Sheat, Haigh, McCormick, Meltzer, and Kitching.

The next debate, held on the 30th July, centred round the motion, "That recent attempts to exercise a censorship over political literature in this and other countries are to be condemned."In moving the motion. Mr. W. A. Sheat, who was supported by Mr. J. W. Davidson, contended that where as the avowed object of the censorship was to guard against incitement to lawlessness, it was in fact being used to suppress historical facts and legitimate comment on contemporary movements. The censorship was based on a groundless fear of a resort to violent revolution. The opposition, maintained by Messrs. N. J. Lewis and H. E. Moore, held that many people were very susceptible to reiterated propaganda, and it was the aim of certain political literature to excite uneducated minds to violence and lawlessness. Consequently it was the duty of the Government to censor this danger us literature.

After the motion had been discussed at length, it was put to the vote and declared lost by one vote.

Mr. J. H. Howell acted as Judge, and placed the speakers as follows: Messrs Davidson, Sheat, Lewis and Tonkin (equal), and Campbell.

On the 13th August another "Visitors' Debate" was held, the subject this time being, "That this Society views with grave apprehension the activities of the Navy League in the State schools." The leading speakers, Mr. J. Davidson (mover), and Mr. H. McCormick (opposer), were seconded respectively by the Rev. Moses Ayrton. Secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party, and Mr. Robert Darroch, Secretary of the Wellington Branch of the Navy League.

Mr. Davidson urged that the aim of education was to encourage independent thought and individuality, and opposed the use of the educative machine to impose belief in the young for propagandist purposes. Mr. McCormick said that until international disputes could be settled by arbitration, war remained the only means of settlement, and the League was doing valuable work in constantly reminding the people that the safety of the Empire depends upon sea power. The Rev. Moses Ayrton said that if the navy was essential to safeguard the liberties of the people, if it was necessary to advocate a bigger navy than Britain had before the Great War, then the war had been fought in vain. Mr. Darroch stated that the Navy League taught the importance of a proper spirit of loyalty and patriotic throughout the Empire, and that was necessary, particularly just now. When the League of Nations was an accomplished fact things might be different.

After an interesting debate the motion was carried by a small majority. The Judge, Mr. W. J. McEldowney, placed the best five speakers as follows: Messrs Sheat, Davidson, Martin-Smith, Ball, Wood.

On the 19th August the Annual Plunket Modal Contest was held in the Town Hall. Unfortunately this year t here were only five speakers, but this was made up for by the fact that the audience gave them an excellent hearing. We congratulate Mr. A.S Tonkin on winning the medal.

On Saturday, the 10th September, the Society in conjunction with the Dramatic Club are presenting a Dramatic Entertainment in the Gymnasium in the form of three humorous plays, it is hoped that this entertainment, if a success, will place the funds of the Society on a sounder basis than they are at present.