MASTERTON DEBATING SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 911, 29 October 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON DEBATING SOCIETY.

The last meeting of the first session of the above Society took place yesterday evenin", when there were about fourteen members and the President present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Notice of motion was given to amend the rules, so that one black ball in three should exclude a candidate for membership, instead of two black balls only. The report and balance sheet for the past session were then submitted. The former showed that 45 members were on the roll, and that since the inauguration of the Society one debateable essay had been read, and fifteen debates upon various subjects taken place. The report also suggested that essays slwuld be resumed, and that instead of fixing subjects from night to night each member should send in to the Committee subjects he would like to see debated, and allow it to arrange them for different nights. The report concluded by thanking the Institute Committee for placing the meeting room at the disposal of the Society for a nominal rental. - ' ; Th'n; hahncß i sheet' allowedthat after

allowing for all liabilities there would te n balance in hand of £'4 9s 6d. Messrs Hall and Mcintosh were asked to audit tho balance sheet for next meeting Mr D'Arcy, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, complimented the retiring President (Mr DeCastro), Secretary (Mr J. Brown), Treasurer (Mr Sellar), and the Committee on the manner in which they had conducted the affairs \ of tho Society, and the report was unani- \ inously adopted, and a vote of th&tfits was passed to tho retiring officers.

The following officers were then appointed for the ensuing session President, Mr W. Grundy; Vice-Presidents, Messrs D'Arcy and DeCastro ; Secretary, Mr Brown ; Treasurer, Mr W. Sellar;' ComA mittce, Messrs Park, D'Arcy, and R. Brown, tho President, Secretary, and Treasurer beinsr ex-officio members of Committee.

After discussion it was decided to continue the weekly meetings on Friday evening, but (after next Friday) the hour of meeting to be eight o'clock, instead of 7.30.

It was agreed that the President should give a lecture at the next meeting, and in the meantime all members are requested to send in to the Committee any subject that may appear to them to be a proper one for debate, so that in future all taking part in them may have ample time to prepare themselves.