Debating Society

The debate with the team from Bates College, U.S.A., is reported elsewhere in this issue. The 310th meeting of the Society was held on the 7th July, when the following motion was discussed: "That the practice of law is demoralising to the practitioner." The attack was led by Messrs. Forde and Mountjoy, while Messrs. Arndt and Wylie ably defended their profession. Reinforcements from the audience were found to consist of Miss Forde and Messrs. O'Halloran, Cahill, Hall, Powles, Crossley and Bannister, while the chairman also descended from his august (?) seat to take part in the battle. The judge (Mr. J. Meltzer) placed the speakers as follows:—Mountjoy, Rollings, Arndt, Miss Forde, and Hall. The meeting as a whole came to the conclusion that legal practitioners are undergoing a steady process of demoralisation.

The next debate, on the 14th July, found Messrs. Bannister and Crossley opposed by Misses Forde and Drummond on the motion: "That the employment of women in positions hitherto occupied by men is against the best interests of the State." Miss Cooley and Messrs. Powles, Arndt, Forde, Hall and Rollings also addressed the meeting. Mr. A. M. Cousins placed the speakers as follows:—Rollings, Miss Cooley and Hall, Arndt, Miss Forde and Bannister. The audience as a whole rejected the motion with a wholeheartedness which was not surprising in the circumstances, but the more enlightened (or more male) members of the society were unable to decide the matter either way.

On the 18th August, Modern Dress was assailed by Messrs. Hall and Arndt, and defended by Messrs. Bannister and Powles. Mr. Mountjoy was the only other member of the Society to express his views. Mr. A. W. Free placed the speakers as follows: Hall, Powles, Mountjoy, Bannister, and Arndt.

The Society met on 25th August, for the 313th time. Messrs. Bannister and Hall moved, and Mr. Forde and Miss Cooley opposed: "That a system of trial marriages is desirable." Messrs. Arndt and Cahill also spoke. Much amusement was caused by interjections from some members of the audience who had evidently made much more than a "trial" of marriage. The judge, (Mr. O'Kane), placed the speakers in the following order: Miss Cooley, Hall, Arndt, Forde and Bannister. Upon putting the motion to the meeting, the chairman (Mr. G. R. Powles) discovered that the supporters of a system of trial marriage were but two. Another great reform was therefore nipped in the bud.'

The Impromptu Speech Competition was held on the 22nd of September. The dread imminence of examinations no doubt accounted for the small attendance. Mr. W. E. Leicester, who also set the subjects, most ably acted as judge, and placed the speakers in the following order:—

1.	Hall.—"That modern life and living makes the practice of telling the truth impossible."—Mr. Hall heartily agreed.page 29
2.	Arndt.— "That the All Blacks and Tom Heeney have done more for New Zealand than the Reform Government."—Mr. Arndt also heartily agreed.
3.	Rollings.—"That capital punishment and Hogging should both be abolished."—So they should, said Mr. Rollings.
4.	Mountjoy.—"That the average woman would rather be married than have a degree."—Mr. Mountjoy is evidently a misogynist of the deepest dye.
5.	Powles.—"That drink is a worse evil than gambling."—Mr. Powles half heartedly denied.
6.	Bannister.—"That all wealth should be equally distributed."—Yes—said Mr. Bannister—and then, No!