Poor Standard of Debate.

We heartily agree with Judge Mr. C. H. Weston, K.C., that the standard of speaking was poorin the extreme. Indeed. we would readily agree with Mr. Weston that the speakers compared unfavourably with the Rongotai College boys even though we didn't hear the latter.

The few bright spots, namely Mr. Brown's emu, Mr. Jack's cow, and Mr McGhie's eggless bantam, had very little in common with the subject allegedly under discussion, "that Big Births Deserve Bounties," and we had to wait until Miss Shortall came fromthe supper room to speak.

She immediately aroused a very jaded audience and was rightly awarded first place.

Mr Scotney, alittle steam rollerish, perhaps, was infine form and was placed second. No preparation of any king marked the utterances of the two leaders, Messrs. Brown and Jack, who quite appropriately occupied the two bottom positions among the placed speakers.

Altogether a poor subject and an unexciting debate.