MORE OR LESS?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 15

MORE OR LESS?

SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND

STUDENTS' VIEWS

TKe first debate between representatives of Victoria' University College ana the Training College took place in the Training College Hall last night, the subject being, "That Too Much. Attention, is Paid to Sport in New, Zealand." Training College students took the affirmative. Mr. F. Cormack"presided, and Mr. G. G. Watson was the judge. < Mr. J. Cowan, as leader of the speakers for the affirmative, said the value of sport was not denied, but there must be a balance between sport and the more serious matters of life. Sport should be a means, not an end, but in New Zealand to-day it was a pre-oecupatiou, not a recreation. Sport had a grip upon our national leisure, occupying time that could be better devoted to self-improvement. Wellmgtonians were more concerned with football results than with' the unemployment situation, and the same spirit applied to, other matters of national importance. Sport dominated our schools, and the most popular scholars were those who achieved most on the playing fields, with the result that the-most formative years of life were wasted. Miss "P. Buckley, speaking in support, contended that' New Zealanders would be able to find many other ways of spending • their leisure time were not their intellects deadened by their pursuit of sport. A serious decline of culture had resulted in New Zealand from the vicious domination of pleasure. If' New Zealand was to be judged by the employment of its leisure hours it would be brought to judgment' for the worship of muscle. Miss Z. Henderson said sport was not to be deplored, but that New Zealanders should employ their spare time to the exclusion of all else but sport was deplorable. Gambling went hand-in-hand with every sport, promoting moral instability, whilo sports like hunting were brutal. - . The leader of the negative argument, Mr. W. P. Rollings, said that the growing boy and girl required to indulge in sport, and the.popularity of sport with the young was one of the healthiest manifestations of our education system. Germany had come to the realisation that it fell short as a nation of the standard of the English because of its lack of sporting activities, and Germany had consequently become an. athletic nation. If* sport relaxed its grip on the national leisure, then that' leisure would be spent—actually —iv far less profitable ways. The tendency of the Education authorities in Now Zealand was wisely to encourage sport, of which, rather than being too much, there 1 was too little in this country. Speaking in support, Miss C. S. JTorde contended that sport was not merely to kill time, but to improve it. Industrial workers by the thousand sought to relieve the irritation of their psychic lives each week-end in the realm of sport. The ideal citizen was a statesman, a philosopher, and an athlete. The love of sport was the outstanding characteristic of the British race and was royally approved. Mr. G. B. Powlcs held that there was no better example of citizenship .than that people should devote their minds to business and their bodies to sport. Sport induced a sane and stoady national attitude—a sporting outlook, which was a distinction of the British race. The American' carried his business into sport, but the Britisher carried his sport into business. Mr. Watson gave his decision in favour of the Victoria Collego team. Mr. Powles was adjudged the best debating speaker. It is hoped in future to make the debate an annual fixture between the two colleges. . . '. . '

Kingsway's, Ltd., will sell by auction to-morrow, at 1.30 p.m., at their rooms, 78, Lambton quay, furniture from Kona Bay.