LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 13 October 1920, Page 2

LITERARY AND DEBATING CLUB.

A WOMEN'S EVENING. The ladies were well to the fore a! Monday night ’s meeting of the Otaki Literary and Debating Club—indeed it max well be termed a women’society, seeing that tie- debate w a carried out almost entirely bv ladies. :i,, d of a total attendance (if over thirty only lour went mere men.” 1 h-.- hex. At. (f. Slade, ALA., occupied ’he chair. The subj'-ci of debate -.vas “That the women ol New Zealand arc bettei fitted to fake up public, positions than ’heir English -i-t.-i . -, r . " ML-Eilni'-d, who led off in the utHrm&tivt, 1 tea ted tin- subject ta humorous vein, and indulged freely eutting '•asm. Her remarks caused roars of laughter from beginning to end. but J "d‘ l ' failed to treat the subject sen■ I on-ly enough. Her main argument' '• v, 're that, because the New Zealand girL lived iu the best country in the world, enjoying the best climate in the world, and benefitting b\- the urusually fine system of education protided in this land, the women grew up lo be healthier, better educated, am more beautiful than their English sisters, and were thus better fitted to take up public positions. Miss Lee. who championed the English women, gave a carefully-prepared, fluent and effective speech. She claimed that the English women had had to work hard to secure the franchise, and for other benefits which they cov enjoyed. All along the English women had been “up against the selfish opposition of man.” Mies Lee, while not agreeing with many of the tacticof the suffragettes, said that few people in New Zealand realised the splendid, self-sacrificing work these women had done for their cause against greet odds. The English eh mate and the opposition the Engii.J. women had had to fight brought ou’ ’he l»e.-t in them, helped them to dtelop character, and thus made them better fitted to fake up public positions. Mix- Kirk -econded Mies Edited’ -ids-, making 3 capital speech. She poke chiefly of the work done by Ne” Zealand women in the W.C.T.U. move incut, Society for Protection of Women and Children, and other social organi satiomi. Mrs Stable staunchly iupportt-1 Miss Lee. She stressed the value >J discipline in building up character contending that this had better fitted the English women for public life than ’he New Zealand girl-. To make good leaders one must learn to serve veffi ihe New Zealand women were a; doabtediy a fine lot. with individuality, but they lacked the opportunity that presented itself to the fjf Efiglauf], Jn the rP|4ife. Mi*'a thoeg* xtil! indulging in humorous saiiier. made sonce most < ffective repiiV f* her oot*j neni-' arguments The chairman surnmed tap favtig •>i the champion- of the EagiL* 1 women, but a ballot of those preietf I reMiittd ir. a win for Mis- Ediced I Mis* Kirk. S It st- urdoobfedlr one of ike a*** I enjoyar-le and esterteieiag ast-e tssf* ■ of tfc« -c—ior.. a,-id the ladies deef 1 * ■ cotigmtslatioßs or, their e«eG***- B -rieethc- B