VICTORIA COLLEGE DEBATING SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2761, 3 May 1916, Page 3

VICTORIA COLLEGE DEBATING SOCIETY

. $, . The first ordinary meeting of tho Vic-~ toria University College Debating Society for the current session was held in the college gymnasium on Saturday, when the motion "'J hat an alteration in the regulation of the liquor traffic, in so far as it applies to the New Zealand troops, is desiiablo," was affirmed by Messrs. G. 0. Cooper and E. Roe, and opposed bv Messrs. L. K. Wilson and J. G. Sdiniidt. Mr. G. G. G. Watson, M.A., LL.B., presided, and Mr. D. S. Smith, M.A., LL.8.., acted a s -judge, Tho movers advocated the establishment of wet canteens in...tho military camps and the early closing of tho hotel bars in town. These alterations they claimed woulti abolish the "shouting" evil, reduce drunkenness, among the soldiers, to sa,ne and reasonable limits, with the result that our troops would leave our shores at the highest possible pitch of efficiency. They held, moreover, that the experienco of other countries showed that i these were the best means of coping with the evil of excessive drinking among the soldiera. The opposers contended that no good results could follow such changes, and demonstrated that worse evils would arise. They claimed that the movers were unable to prove that the system that.they proposed would be better than the present system, and that the evidence put forward to show the prevaJence of drunkenness among tho soldiers was insufficient and unconvincing. They said that tho military authorities who could best judge did not want wet canteens, and in the absence of sufficient evidence to justify a change it could only' be concluded that the agitation was aimed, not at the suppression of drunkenness among the soldiers, but at the suppression of drink altogether. A keen debate followed, in which 'Miss L V. Taylor and ' Messrs. Jenkins. Evans, Cocker, Archer, and . Rodgcrs took part. The mover and the opposer then replied, and the motion on being put to a vote of tho audience was carried by an overwhelming majority. . Tho judge tlion gave his decision, congratulating the" society on the splendid attendance and the excellence of the debate, which, ho said, recalled to him thd palmy days of tho society, and placed the' first five siicakers for the purpose of the Union Prize in.tho following order: Mr. Cooper, Mr. Schmidt, Sir. Cocker, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Evans. The meeting then concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to tho judge. . ■ '