UNIVERSITY, DEBATING SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 7

UNIVERSITY, DEBATING SOCIETY.

• / /DEBATE 'ON, PiRTY GOTORNMENT.. , An audience of about .120 persons was pre: t - :sent-at tho of., the-Victoria . College Dobating 'Society on 'Saturday.eventing,;, when.,,a motion.to the'effect .''That [. ■. Party, Government is' conducive , neither'. to , progressive legislation nor to • offectivo a'd- , ministration" was,discussed. '~- ~;■, ■ - ..The motion'was moved by Mr.:!; Fair, se- ■ conded by Mn ;R: 'Kennedy, 'whilo Mr. E. • Annit, seconded by Mr.J. Dudloy,. opposed. '■■ The,movers contended that tho : history of L Party, government wa"s:its own condemnation. _.' The'talents of good "mon were wasted in op- • /position ,-.nd .-denied.to'the country; opposition.'.eriticism;. was' disingenuous,;:whilo the 'party-membe'-'followed: his leader and became a machine. .'(The opposition had every i .roasonto'.let bad legislation oass, because i with- tie.recoil they'.would; get into power. i It, was better, to. do .nothing under this sys- • tern,,because; then .there was little criticism, i and the party could be kept together. The • system of spoils : tb;the victors; and the disI. tnbution of offices to,party workers was riot conducive to. effective administration. , Its '. nistory in America was the history of graft . and, corruption; in England it had; led to anomalous results in representation; in Austraha(.with 4ho;.three-party.system,;.to: stagnation. :.; The.true .system was.' an elective executive, while the initiation*.of legislation might well •be, giveh. : to parliamentary com- ; mittee.s.; The electivoiexecutive was,the ideaj ■ -to which progress"pointed.,. ..: ~;,.: ' .-. ..'■!,'.'■..:: . The ; : oppositioa-rep]ied;.that party govern- '. ment was: the only .possible system. : Other 'systems had 'been tried and failed; the 'system proposed was party government', in' dis- . guise.: :With tho- present System, the opposition effectively criticised measures, • for! members -felt, their'responsibilities. The: condition 'of affairs in.America -was Admitted, but - the ovH.yas riot .inherent :.in. the system, being,. simply : an'; excrescence, the remedy for ; which was an improvement in current morality; Its universality was a proof of its conduciveness; to progressive legislation''aiid'effective administration; great statesmen paid their stributo "to-it.... Lastly,-., the • three-party systqm was,'only a passing phase.' - --'".. Sixteen; members, took part in the'debate; and the motion being put to the meeting was declared lost by 22 to 18. Mr. H. F. Von Haast, M.A., LL.B.,'after a. free and kindly criticism,' placed-the first five speakers as follow H-Messrs. A: Fair, M. v H:; Oram W J. : A.;:M/Eldowney, R. M. Butcher, G., W. Morioo. Mr.' E. Armit'did not take part in the competition. ■ -.";•".!-•■,-' ■-.;.'■' At the next debate, which will be held on Saturday;' May IS, the motion for discussion is: ;',!Thr,i the Asiatic nations within tho next 150 years, will '-predominate-.,'as world Powers.'! '.' .•'-• ''■,' --.-.'. '''^v'-'-v;''' V-v-v/,'