DEBATING CONTEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3719, 9 October 1906, Page 2

DEBATING CONTEST.

Foxton v. Rongotea.

The debating contest between members of the above clubs took place in the Masonic Hall last evening and was only moderately attended by the general public. The subject of debate was: “Is Great Britain’s power on the wane?” Rongotea opened in-the affirmative and Foxton replied in the negative. The president of the local club, Mr Stewart, occupied the chair and Mr Hornblow officiated as judge. The openers were each allowed 20 minutes and 5 minutes to reply, other speakers 10 minutes each. The speakers were judged under two heads, viz., subject matter and delivery with a maximum of 100 points. The visitors had a very uphill struggle but they got home some very unpleasant truths. A good deal of generalising and speculating however, was indulged in. Still, Rongotea made the very best of a bad case and a lack of sincerity was marked in all except the Rev. Mr Simms, who put plenty of bite into his declamations. He invited all and sundry to tread on the tail of his coat, and made the best lighting speech of the evening. Foxton did not make the most of their case. The Rev. Mr Wilson opened and closed splendidly, his arguments were sound and uncontravertible, told with convincing sincerity. but lacking at times in patriotic fire. Mr Barnard’s subject matter was very good but his delivery was inclined to be mechanical and unemotional, could have done with half the subject matter and spent the remainder of the time in driving it home. Mr Jenks started off well with a good grip of his subject, somewhat mat-ter-of-fact in style, but fell away towards the end as if he had forgotten some important point and was awaiting its return. The Rev. Mr Southern apparently cast aside what he had intended to say in order to pitch into his ‘ ‘ brother of the cloth” and he succeeded in scoring off him. A somewhat jerky delivery, aggressive, knows how to dovetail humour and sarinto debate. The individual marks were awarded as follows: —Rongotea— Mr Ross subject matter 90, delivery 80 ; Mr Gifford, 70 and 80 ; Mr A. Rocbel, 80 and 60; Rev. Mr Simms, 100 and 100; t0ta1,660. Foxton—Rev. Mr Wilson, subject matter 100,. delivery 90; Mr W. E. Barnard 96 and 75 ; E. Jenks 90 and 75 ; Rev. Southern 96 and 90; total 712. After a congratulatory speech by the President the debaters and a few friends were entertained by Mr and Mrs Stewart and the visitors drove home apparently satisfied with the contest. The two medals presented for the highest points were won by the Revs. Wilson, Foxton, and Simms, Rongotea.