LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 25 June 1919, Page 3

LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

JJOES WAR DEVELOP A HIGHER TYPE OP NATIONAL CHARACTEB THAN PEACE? The first debate of the Otaki Liter, ary and Debating Club’s session was hold on Monday night_ last at the Druids’ Hall, wh_en thcro was a capita] attendance of about thirty persons, the Rev- G. P. Petrie, M.A., presiding. The subject for the evening was a debate, “That war tends to develop a higher type of national character than peace does.’’ Mr A. R. Budkin led off in the affirmative, giving a thoughtful speech, in which he declared that war developed chivalry, courage, discipline, sacrifice, broke down class distinctions, and in many ways improved the character-of the individual and the nation. Mr T. Collins spoke of the profiteering indulged in during tho recent war, and the many evils that were apparent as a result of war. He declared that the development of character referred to by Mr Budkin was tke result of 'peadc, not of war. E Messrs Prank Penn and J. K. Ingram seconded Messrs Budkin and Colli us,respectively, while Mesdames Swabey and A. A. Anderson, Miss Hitching, a lady visitor, and Bovs. Slade and Blatliwayt, and Messrs P. B. Anderson, Byron Brown and A. 33. Andorson participated in the debate, several of the speakers giving excellent speeches. At the close of the debate the Chairman made some interesting and encouraging remarks, and on a vote being taken the meeting decided that Mr Budkin’s side had lind the best of the , argument. It was decided, on the sug- ■ gention of Mr Byron Brown, that in future debates in addition to a vote of , the members, the chairman allocate ] points to the various speakers, and give ! his judgment and criticism of the de- j baters, with the object of assisting tho speakers to improve themselves. J The next meeting will be devoted to j Eobert Louis Stevenson’s life and i works. Thu arrangements for the evening are in tho hands of Mesdames Larkin and Swabey.