DEBATING LEAGUE

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1937, Page 2

DEBATING LEAGUE

Competition Results UNITED CLUB WIN CHAMPIONSHIP. The annual competitions of the West Coast Debating League, were held on Saturday evening at St. Columba Hall, and proved very interesting. Following were the results: — DEBATE. The subject for the debating contest, which was judged by Mr. W. M. Stewart, was “That the Future Prosperity of the West Coast lies in a policy of Reafforestation.” ihere were three debates, the awards in which were as follows: — St. Columba A (Affirmative): Messrs M. Kelly (leader) 70 (reply 37), J. Gilbert 68,. L. Phillips 70; United A: Messrs R. B. Dawber (leader) 75 (reply 36), W. J. Steer 74, T. Learmont 76. Runanga At- —Messrs S. Braithwaite 76 (reply 37), J. Unwin 74, J. Walker 75; Waiuta: Messrs H. Smith (leader) 74 (reply 35), D. Douglas 75, T. Sanderson 75. Runanga B: —W. Barnes (leader) 63 (reply 33), W. Williams 74, Smith 69; St. Mary’s B (Hokitika): Messrs Moore 66 (reply 32), M. Keen 73, M. Dwan 57. IMPROMPTU SPEECH. The subject of the impromptu speech competition was “The Native Birds of New Zealand,” Mr. W. Meldrum being the Judge. Following were the awards: Messrs C. Strongman (United) 83, W. Williams (Runanga) 82, A. H. Ihle (United) 79; L. Phillips (St. Columba) 79, P. Morel (St. Columba) 79; I. Mcllroy (St. Columba) 78; M. Kelly (St. Columba) 76; M. Keen (St. Mary’s) 75; C. Moore (St. Mary’s) 74; H. Smith (Waiuta) 70.

PREPARED SPEECH. The subject in this competition, which was also judged by Mr. W. Meldrum, was: ‘'The Mediterranean Sea —Its History, Past and Present.” Following were the awards: Messrs J. A. Shepperd (United) 85, I. Mcllroy (St. Columba) 80, P. Morel (St. Columba) 79, S. Quintrell (United) 77. The aggregate points gained by the Clubs entering all of the competitions were:—United, 466; St. Columba, 444. The other teams did not qualify for the Championship Competition because of their failure to be represented in each class. United Club are the first holders of the Strong Memorial Board, presented by Mrs. S. W. Strong, in memory of her late husband, who was the first President of the Debating League. After the competition, the judges and competitors sat down to supper at Herb Moore’s, where the President of the League, Mr. Dawber, took the opportunity of thanking all who had assisted in the* Competitions.