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The Spike or Victoria University College Review 1931

Debating Society

page 63

Debating Society

At the Annual General Meeting the constitution and rules were amended, the new Committee elected, and the motion, "That the University lad is no gentleman" was debated. Professor Cornish gave a brief and interesting criticism of the speakers.

The much discussed "College of Electors" system was debated on March 16th between an "Executive" team led by Mr. W. P. Rollings and a "Recess Committee" team led by Mr. Hurley.

On March 27th the motion "That the Soviet Administration of Russia is proving a failure" was moved by Mr. von Sturmer and Miss Forde, and opposed by Mr. M. Riske and Mr. Warren. The judge, Mr. A. B. Sievwright, placed the following speakers in order:—(1) Mr. Mountjoy, (2) Mr. Riske, (3) Mr. von Sturmer, (4) Mr. Farrel, (5) Miss Forde, (6) Mr. O'Shea. Other speakers were Miss Henderson and Messrs. Watson and Stewart.

On the 17th April a large audience heard the motion that "The optimist is a greater menace to society than the pessimist" discussed by 21 different speakers, and voted at the conclusion in favour of the pessimist. The movers were Messrs. Powles and Chorlton, and the opposers, Messrs. O'Shea and Watson. Mr. G. W. von Zedlitz, in an amusing judgment, placed the following speakers in order:—(1) Mr. Rollings, (2) Mr. Powles, (3) Mr. Bannister, (4) Miss Forde, (5) Mr. Riske, (6) Mr. Rollings, (7) Mr. Reardon.

The only debate with particular religious interest was held on the 2nd May, the motion being, "That the results of Christian missions do not justify their continuance." The movers were Messrs. Crossley and Riske and the opposers Mr. Hurley and Miss M. Hursthottse. It was found necessary in this, as in several of the other debates, to extend the time to permit all speakers to be heard. Mr. Justice Blair placed the speakers in the following order:—1, Mountjoy; 2, Miss Forde; 3, Hurley and Riske; 5, Bannister; 6, Cahill.

The following speakers also took part: Misses Solwood and Z. Henderson and Messrs. Stewart, Scotter, O'Shea and Cook. The whole audience, differing from the members of the Society, favoured Christian missions.

The annual visitors' debate was held on May 16th, when the question of the abolition of the Arbitration Court was warmly discussed. The compulsory arbitration system was attacked by Messrs. Jessep and Matheson, supported by Mr. Secretary, of this Society, and was defended by Mr. N. J. Reardon and Messrs. Bishop and Reardon, jun. The battle waged most fiercely about the "compulsory clause," but from the vote of the audience the Arbitration Court withstood all onslaughts. Speakers were placed by Mr. McEldowney as follows:—1, Rollings; 2, Hurley; 3, Arndt; 4, Miss Henderson; 5, Mr. Bishop.

In the first broadcast debate held on May 19th the motion "That Democracy is a failure" was moved by Mr. Mountjoy and Miss Henderson, and opposed by Miss Forde and Mr. Watson. The President, Professor Cornish, placed the speakers in the following order:—1, Rollings and Miss Forde; 3, Watson; 4, Mountjoy; 5, Crossley; 6, Miss Henderson; 7, Bishop.

Messrs. Reardon and Stewart spoke from the audience.

The debate on June 26th was one of the brightest of the season. The motion "That the only man who entered Parliament with the right idea was Guy Fawkes" was moved by Messrs. Bishop and East and opposed by Messrs. O'Shea and Cahill.

The judge, Mr. O'Regan, considered that the subjects discussed at our debates should be of a more serious nature. Placings were:—1, Arndt; 2, Bannister; 3, Reardon; 4, von Stunner; 5, Miss Forde.

The next debate, "That the American influence in this country is to be deplored," was moved by Misses Davidson and Forde and opposed by Messrs. Reardon and Larkin. Mr. Evan Parry placed the speakers in the following order:—1, Messrs. Rollings and Mottntjoy; 3, Mr. Arndt; 4, Mr. Bannister; 5, Miss Forde; 6, Mr. Hurley; 7, Mr. Cahill.

The audience voted against American influence.

On August 7th the pedestal of Mr. Shakespeare was besmeared with mud. Most of it was thrown by Messrs. Watson and Reardon, who moved, "That Shakespeare is vastly over-rated," but all of it was scraped off and thrown back by the opposers, Miss Henderson and Mr. Mountjoy. At times the debate was reminiscent of the Town Hall during the Shakespearian recitation; at others, more personal than the Lower House during financial discussions. The judges, Messrs. Cochran and Henning, gave their placing as follows:—(1) Mr. Watson, (2) Mr. Mountjoy, (3)

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M. Reardon, (4) Miss Henderson, (5) Mr. Rollings, (6) Miss Caughley, (7) Mr. Larkin.

"That psychology is a curse in modern society" was moved by Mr. Bannister and Mr. Toogood and opposed by Mr. Chorlton and Mr. Riske, on August 28th. The "anti-psychs' were admittedly those who had never "done" psychology. Mr. T. Kane gave a very valuable analysis of the art of preparing the brief. His placings were as follows (not considering Messrs. Hall and Mountjoy):—1, Mr. Riske; 2, Mr. Arndt; 3, Mr. Ban-nister; 4, Miss Forde; 5, Mr. Chorlton.

At a new speakers' debate held earlier in the year, the task of justifying the 10% cut was undertaken by Messrs. Stewart and Larkin against the opposition of Miss M. Spence-Sales and Mr. Moore. After a spirited discussion Mr. W. P. Rollings placed the speaker as follows:—1, Mr. Scotney; 2, Mr. Stewart; 3, Miss Spence-Sales; 4, Mr. Joseph; 5, Mr. Moore; 6, Mr. Larkin.

Other new speakers were Messrs. Sapsford, Ketnber, Malcolm, Nixon and Williams.

V.U.C. took the affirmative in the Inter-College debate against Training College on the motion that "The British Empire is in grave danger of disintegration." Mr. Black placed the speakers in the following order.—1, Mr. Mountjoy (V.U.C.); 2, Mr. Scotney (T.C.); 3, Miss Z. Henderson (V.U.C.) and Mr. Bannister (V.U.C.); 5, Miss Godfrey (T.C.); 6, McConchie (T.C.).

V.U.C. thus succeeded in winning the Inter-College Shield for the second time.

The debates with the American visiting team and the Plunket Medal contest are reported elsewhere. We congratulate Miss Henderson on her very fine delivery in the latter event.

This year constitutes a record one, both in the number of speakers who have taken part in the debates and in the average size of the audiences.

The Arts and Science team (Mr. Mountjoy, Miss Henderson and Mr. Riske) succeeded this year in winning the Inter-Faculty Scroll from a Law and Commerce team composed of Messrs. Bannister, Crossley and Hurley. The motion was "That Nationalism is a hindrance to world welfare." The judges were Dr. McIlraith and Mr. Black.

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