COLLEGE DEBATING SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1742, 6 May 1913, Page 2

COLLEGE DEBATING SOCIETY.

On Saturday the subject nt the Victoria College Debating Society was, "That the New Zealand anti-gambling legislation liad failed to improve the social conditions of the community." Messrs. Treadwell and Stevenson moved the resolution, and Messrs. Cornish and Mazongarb opposed. The movers endeavoured to showthat the cffect of this legislation (especially the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Act, 1910) was to drive tho bookmakers oft' tho course and on to tho street, and that it was impossible to regulate their operations while, before tho Act, -they operated solely under police supervision. The negative denied that this was the effect, and argued that the amount of the betting was greatly reduced, because people would not run the, risk of being prosecuted even if the ■chances ut being caught were small. The motion was lost by a small majority. Mr. Alexander Ciray, K.C'., who judged the speakers, placed the first five in the following order for the purposes of tho union prize:—Messrs. Cornish, Mazengarb, liorer, Sievwright, and Treadmill and (juilliam (eqtial) fifth. The chairman (.Mr. Watson) anounccd I hat the society was convening a public meeting, to be held t|ui(c shortly, for a discussion of Now Zealand naval policy. Tho discussion is to lake Iho form of addre«!'> from some authorities on the ijueslion. The students, too, wit! have an opportunity of speaking to the subject alter the leaders. A public announcement will, however, bo made shorlly.