MASTERTON DEBATING SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 929, 19 November 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON DEBATING SOCIETY.

The usual weekly meeting of the above Society was held last evening, Mr Grundy, the President, in tha ohair. Mr Park opened the debate for the evening, " Are esaays desirable adjuncts to debating societies:" and argued that the majority of the members of Hie Society were unpractised speakers, and, unless they first collected their ideas on paper, they could not submit them in a fitting manner. A man who was too bashful to speak was not too bashful to write anessay, and critcism on that essay would bring him to his feet, Many subjects could not be debated unless first brought up in the form an essay. Essays were n stepping-stone to debate, and a recognized medium for sooieties like their own. Mr Payton, in reply, asserted that essays were inconsistent with debates. The essence of a debate was its definiteness, whereas the characteristic of essays was latitude. Debates roused them, but essays,.like sermons, often had a depressing influence. If an essay were the keynote of a debate, the whole meeting would be a series of essays. Debating with essays was very much l'ke playing cricket with a football. Mr James Brown held that with, a young Society it was much better to exclude essays. The experience the Society had had of them so far was not in their favor. Mr Hall was in favor of debateable essays, and if essays were characterised by latitude he thought it was an advantage to discuss them for the greater range of views which they afforded. Mr Hogg spoke,of the excellent essays he had heard read at similar societies, instancing one by the author of " are we to stay here." A Debating Society was a school for adult education, and nothing which furnished it with food should be rejected, A continuous round of debates would become monotonous. He held too, that essays formed the ground work of most excellent debates. Mr James thought that essays would be a stepping stone for young members, Essays were not necessarily depressing in their character. Mr Park having replied, a vote was taken, which was decidedly in favor of essays as an adjunct to Debating Sooieties,