PORT ALBERT.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 156, 29 July 1892, Page 2

PORT ALBERT.

[from our own correspondent.] The Mutual Improvement Class met on Saturday July 16th, when there was a better attendance than usual, the cause of this was that the question “ Is Woman equal in intellect to Man.” was to be solved. The President, Mr Mander was in the chair. The first item on the programme was a Song, entitled “ Wings ” by Miss Platt, which was, as one gentleman iu his criticism pescribed “ just beautiful,” Mr P. ULting then followed with a reading ‘ 1 The Inventor’s Wife ” which was very amusing. The Chairman then called on Mr T. A. Gubb to affirm that woman is mentally equal to man. Mr Gubb said that the subject was a very important one, and that he would rather a lady had taken up the position, as he thought that it was more a question for a woman to uphold than a man, but he maintained that women are quite up to the mental average of men, and said that to go as far back as the reign of Queen Elizabeth, that there never was such progress made or such strides iu civilisation in the reign of any King ; then to come to the present time, look at the present Queen’s wise rule, this proved beyond any doubt that woman, given an opportunity, was quite man’s equal. He also mentioned the name of MissPosnett who at the present time occupied a seat on the London School Board. A great many others he could mention but the time being up, he took his seat amidst great applause. Mr L. Beecroft was then invited by the Chairman to take the negative, which he did in good style and said that the gentleman who took the affirmative side of the debate had taken him by surprise, by changing the manner in which it should have been conducted. If, as the former speaker hinted, the opening of the question had been taken by a lady, it wonid have completely floored him. In the first place he would say that being a believer in Phrenology, he took his stand from a phrenological point of view, and said that from the time that Eye admitted to Adam her inabiliiy to take care of herself, and Adam said that he would take her under his charge or risk the consequences, woman was always dependent on man. Then where would you find any musicians amongst ladies such as Handel, Mendelsohn, Mozart or Beethoven. While admitting that the greatest singers were to be found amongst the ladies, their mental capacity was not strong enough to compose, and then where will you find a lad; Watt or Stevenson, Carlyle, a Dickens, or other great authors he could name. Of course it is admitted by all that woman is the weaker vessel and that she required to be well looked after, but no doubt as the Universities were open to woman as time goes on she will try to emulate man all she can. Mr Beecroft’s speech was good and well thought over before-hand. The Chairman then called for criticism which was responded to by Messrs Shepherd, Reid, Bridge, Judd, P. and D. Beecroft, Piper, R. and C. Walker and the Chairman, and it was replied to by Messrs Gubb and Beecroft.. The former challenging any man in Port Albert, under or over 50 to do better than has been done by some of the girls in this place at mathemathics. The discussion then closed and was voted by all present to be the best one we haye had for some time. The ladies as usual were silent, thus admitting that they were not up to the standard of men, one lady even going so far as to admit that l he criticism had better be left to the superior intellect (man’s). At the next meeting Mr Reid promised to give a paper on “ Rudeness.” I am sorry to have to report a case of cattle stealing in our district, Harold Vipond was charged by W. Yates with stealing one of his cattle and the case was heard on Thursday before H. W. Bishop Esq K. M. and Messrs Shepherd and Boler J’s. P. Mr Baume of Auckland appeared for the prisoner, who was committed for trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court, Bail was accepted. I think Captain Edwin has been manufacturing some very bad weather, as for the last four days wehave had nothing but rain, which has made the roads almost impassable ; for which we must thank the members of our local bodies, as they never think of repairing any bad place in the roads until the winter comes on.