Debating Club Replies.

The letter from Miss C. S. Forde in this issue has been shewn to me, and is substantially the statement made by Miss Forde to the meeting of the Committee. The Committee, having heard this statement, nevertheless decided that Miss Z. R. M. Henderson and Mr. A. F. T. Chorlton should represent Victoria University College Debating Society this year in the Joynt Scroll contest.

The Committee considered their action equitable if only on this' one ground. Miss Forde, over a period of years, has twice previously represented the College in the Joynt Scroll contest, once in a winning team. It has hitherto been a guiding rule that any member of the Society who has been in a team which has won the Joynt Scroll is ineligible to speak again. The object of such a rule is patent and its fairness to the Society as a whole unquestionable, and the Committee in its action respected the reasons which prompted the rule. Furthermore, Miss Forde has represented the College in the Bledisloe Medal; she has represented the College against Training College; she has won the Plunket Medal and the Union Prize. This everyone will admit is a worthy record which truly evidences Miss Forde's debating prowess.

There are others in the Society, of not inconsiderable ability, who have not yet had opportunity of securing even the first steps of such a record. The Committee decided that two of these younger members should be given a chance, and they were helped in their decision by the knowledge that their action could not possibly detract from Miss Forde's lengthy list of excellent preformances.