MEETINGS & ENTERTAINMENTS

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 138, 11 June 1909, Page 2

MEETINGS & ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. PETER'S LITERARY SOCIETY TJie second meeting at 1 St. Peter's Literary and Debating Society, Great Northrd, was held oa "Wednesday. The meeting took the form oil a newspaper evening, members taking different parts of the "Auckland Btar" of June sth and criticising them. THE MOUNT BOSKILL PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH. Anniversary services were held on Sunday Inst, the preachers being the Berg. J. Cocker and H. Cottom, and Mr J. Lock. There were good congregations, and the singing of classical music by a large choir was a feature of the services. On Wednesday night the anniversary social was held, the Key. 3. Cocker presiding. There was a large attendance. Bongs, etc., were contributed by Mr Hutledge Miss Tudehope, Miss Ross, Mr Boss, Mr Lester, Mr McCarty, and the Mount Albert Orchestra rendered a number of selections. An address was given by the Key. W. S. Potter, until recently pastor of the church, Mr P. C. Taylor read the report, which stated that during the year £205 had been raised for the funds of the church. During the year a special effort Is to be made to reduce the debt, with a view to building a new church In the near future. Reference was also made to the evangelistic services to be held at an early date. CHTJECH OF CHRIST. The Church of Christ held Its annual business meeting and social in the Doml-nion-road Chapel on Wednesday evening. There was a large attendance. Mr A. 51. Rryden presided, and the report, read hy Mr L. L. Bailey, spoke of the great biessings they had received as an outcome of Mr Grinstead's labour. Mr Buchanan (treasurer) had a most encouraging balancesheet to present. Short addresses were delivered by Mr Grinstead, Mr Guyan, and Mr A. F. Turner. Friday night is the children's anniversary. ONEHUNGA W.C.T.TJ. The monthly meeting of the above TJnlon was held in the Presbyterian schoolroom. There was a good gathering of members and friends from other unions, and, this being the occasion of the inauguration of | "the cradle roll" or "young recruits," several mothers, with their little ones, were present. Me3dames Hughes and Dewar, of Auckland, also Miss Watson, or Onehunga, were the speakers. Mrs. Dewar took the opportunity of congratulating the union on Its reorganisation, 6aying that 25 years ago she, with some others, came out to assist ln starting the movement iv Onehunga. Songs were rendered by Mesdames Craig, J. M. MacKenzie, and Miss Somerville, after which the mothers' were provided wiUi afternoon tea. The enrolment of babies then took place, sixteen names being enrolled, NORTHCOTE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. The Northcote School Committee met last night. The headmaster reported that the roll number was 464, and the average attendance for the month 402. During the past week the roll number decreased to 430, owing to some children leaving whose parents had taken up land further back. It was decided to write to both the Birkenhead and Northcote Borough Councils, asking that the path used as a "short cut" by the school children, between Northcote and Birkenhead, should be placed In a state of repair. At the suggestion of the headmaster, who stated that the blinds wanted renewing, it was resolved to request the Education Board to supply new blinds iv place of the old ones.

METHODIST LTTERARY SOCIETY. The Inaugural meeting of the Methodist Literary Society at Onehunga took place last night. The Rev. S. J. Gibson (president) occupied the chair. The Society's magazine was opened, and the various wellwritten articles were read and discussed. Mr. B. Q. Laklng has been appointed hon. secretary of the society, and Mr. F. Pegler assistant secretary. POSSONBY UTEEART AND DEBATING SOCIETY. A large audience assembled at the weekly meeting of the Ponsonby Literary and Debatlug Society in the Lecture Hal] of the L-eys Institute oaf Wednesday evening, when a competitive debate was held with representatives of the Marlst Bros.' Debating Society, the subject beir.g, ■•■Who has done more tor the good of humanity, the statesroan or the inventor?" Mr. Gittos presided and Mr. 11. G. Cousins. M.A.. adjudicated. J Bros. Fergus and Messrs. Neven and Carrlngton represented the Marlst Bros., and Messrs. Aldridge, Docara, and Richards the . Ponsonby Society. Mr. Aldridge, In opening m defence of the inventor, defined the terms of the argument and traced progress since primaeval times. He emphasiz- j od the influence of the prehistoric Inventions of the spade, the axe, and the later inventions of the written alphabet, and the printing press. Bro. Fergus," who. opened the debate on behalf of the statesman, contended that such inventions were ' due to toe spread of education, and the moral and Intellectual uplifting of mankind, all of which he ascribed to the statesman., i He described the psycnoiogy of the human mind, and the ethical ideal of the highest good. These were in the hands of the statesman, who had contributed more to the betterment of mankind. Mr. Docnra emphasized the commercial aspect All great commerlcal undertakings had their source In the Inventor—the extraction of gold by the cyanide process, the Davy lamp, the cream separator, the steamboat, were the outcome of inventive genius. Mr. Carrtngton instanced Magna Charta, the abolition of the slave trade, the introduction of the Pitmsoll mark as direction in which the statesman had benefited mankind. Mr. Richards, regarding the debate communally, showed how statesmen had fallen short of their duties and had not regulated the growth of evil conditions, while the genius of tine inventor had provided machinery by which the masses had been oaved from starvation. The sewing machine, ln the household, and electricity in the factory, were rendering vast services to mankind. Mr. Nevln declared the stateman's influence had been the greatest, though not so much appreciated. He Instanced the care of the poor and aged, the establishment of tbe living wage, and shorter hours in mines. At the conclusion of the debate Mr. Cousins gave his decision ln favour of the Ponsonby Society, the points being:—Ponsonby, 64; Marist Bros., 63. The meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the chair, to Mr. Cousins for adjudicating, and the visiting society.