Debate.

The contest for the Joynt Challenge Scroll was held in the Allen Hall on Monday evening. The hall was packed. Fortunately there was comparatively little "noise" and interruption of the speakers. This is so much to the good and it is hoped that next Tournament at Wellington will show a still further improvement in this respect.

Dr. W. Marshall Macdonald was in the chair, and the judges were: J. B. Callan, Esq., B.A., LL.D., Hon. C. E. Statham, M.P., and Rev. H. Maclean, M.A., M.Sc., B.D. The subject: "That in the interests of University Education, the University of New Zealand should cease to exist, and the status of separate and independent Universities be given to each of the four Colleges at present affiliated thereto."

Unfortunately at the last moment our "first string," R. M. Campbell, was unable to travel, and our thanks are due to Mr. Davidson, who stepped into the breach at very short notice, but to such good purpose that Victoria once again annexed the Shield—for the first time for four years—the last occasion on which V.U.C. was successful being at the 1919 Tournament, also held at Dunedin. Victoria at one time had practically a mortgage over the Debating Shield, and it is to be hoped that they have again entered into possession for some time.

In the writer's opinion the debating this year was not of a very high standard. None of the speakers sounded at all convincing; there was a marked absence generally of gesture, of light and shade, and with one or two exceptions of emphasis. Quite a number of the speeches were distinguished chiefly by monotonous delivery and uninspiring manner.

We have to congratulate Mr. Haigh on being placed first speaker. Mr. Haigh's speech was the best the writer has ever heard him deliver. He avoided several of his more glaring faults and was less inclined to dogmatise and "appeal to the masses." He also quoted authority to good affect, albeit one of his authorities emphatically denies that his quoted words referred to anything in the nature of the subject of debate.

The first debate was between Otago (affirmative) and Auckland (negative), the speakers being C. B. Barrowclough and Dr. R. S. Aitken for Otago, and L. K. Munro and W. A. E. Leonard for Auckland. We do not intend to deal with the speeches in detail, the chief feature of this debate being the consternation of one speaker when asked "what he had up his sleeve."

The second debate between Victoria. (affirmative) and Canterbury (negative) was more interesting. The speakers were F. H. Haigh and J. W. G. Davidson for Victoria, and J. B. Batchelor and C. E. Beeby for Canterbury. M r. Davidson spoke well con page 14 sidering the short notice given him that he would be required. Canterbury's main arguments were directed to the question of finance. They argued that a small place like New Zealand could not possibly support four Universities, each giving a full University course. The ground was almost completely taken from under their feet by Mr. Haigh 's argument in favour of granting each University only a limited charter.

The only attempts at repartee during the whole evening were by Mr. Batchelor, of Canterbury, but they were too obviously "worked" to be effective.

The judges wasted no valuable time in announcing the result, simply stating that V.U.C. had been placed first and Mr. Haigh first speaker—a result particularly pleasing in the circumstances to the wearers of the Green and Gold.