DEBATING SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9651, 16 November 1909, Page 5

DEBATING SOCIETY.

"A splendid evening" was the unanimous verdict of all who attend the wind-up social of the Y.M.C.A. Debating Society last night Mr 0. N. C. Pragnell. Presid nt of the Debating Society, occupied the chair. The following contributed items:—Overture, Miss E. Richards: sons', Mr A. Lowa; recitation, Mr G R. Sykes; song, Mr J. T. M. Hornsby; recitation, Mrs Dupre; song, Mr C. Ibetson; son?, Mrs Ashton; recitation. Mr E. R. Wilson; song, Mr J. Elder; recita tion. Miss Loean; song, Miss F. Millar; recitation, Mr H. Kigg; recitation, Mr D. B. Thomson; song, Mr W. Kemp. Miss E. Richards and Mrs Dupre played the accompanimpnts. During an interval Mr PrngneH printed the gol'l med*! won hv Mr D. Hebenfon at the oratorical A very pleasant evenim? was »iro'i<rht to a close b- th« singin? nf "Auld Lane Svm 3 ." The rrp>rt of the seT-tan- (Mr D. Hehento-i) stated -"The Y.M.C.A. Debating Societv is tn-nicht closing its third season. The first meeting of the c»ub held three vears ago was attended by three members, which number rapidly increa-eri, anl it siys much for our members that, despite many discouragements such as the scarcity of att°nlance at times, they have stuck to the Societv, and I are closing the season with a bigger I membership than every they 7 had. This season the Society has specialI ised in inter-club debate, and has i been very successful in them. We have had inter club debates with the I Greytown, Eketahuna, Wellington j Y.M.C.A.. Knox and Fire Brigade Debating Societies—six debates, of which our club won five, bring defeated by Greytown in the return match.. It is a credit to our club to have beaten the Wellington team by 40 point?, when that team won the challenge whield in Wellington for debating. During the year we have had, besides debates, anecdote evsn-

inge, question boxes, reading evenings and an oratorical contest. My duties as secretary have been greatly lightened, and made a] ieasure owing

to the fact that the members are such jolly good fellows to get on with, anxious to help. You had only to ask them once for their sub. Our Society can claim credit for having done good by it's existence, if only to judge by the keen and spreading interest taken in elocution by the young peonle of the town, whether members of our Society or net. since our club came into existence, and gave the study of elocution and debating the prominence it deserves in every community. The thanks of the club are due to Messrs Rawson, Pragnell, Easthope and Rigg, for actincr as judges at our debates, and Mr Hornsby for judging the elocutionary contesr. The criticism and advice so generously given by these gentlemen have been of inestimable benefit to the members of the Society.