C.G.H.S. retains cup

Press, 26 July 1983, Page 26

C.G.H.S. retains cup

The Christchurch Girls’ High School’s team (pictured) won the final of “The Press” secondary schools’ debating competition on Sunday. From left, they are Naomi Edwards, Jenny Duffy, and Rachel Hayward.

They beat St Andrew’s College in the final. The St Andrew’s team was Callum Reid, Greg Peacock, and Oliver Hancock.

The Christchurch Girls’ High team argued against the proposition "That the meek shall inherit the Earth” to win the final.

The leader of the team, Miss Hayward, also led the Christchurch Girls’ High team to victory in last

year’s inaugural competition.

All competitors in Sunday’s final are seventh form pupils.

Twenty-one schools from Nelson, the West Coast, and Canterbury competed in the competition at the weekend.

In the first round, the teams debated the motion “That New Zealand needs strong and militant trade unions.”

The first-round judges said they were particularly impressed with the performance of Baller High School and Timaru Boys’ High School, although these teams did not qualify for the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, Christchurch Girls’ High School

argued against the motion “That New Zealand’s future would best be served by a nuclear-weapon-free Pacific” to beat Cashmere High School. St Andrew’s College argued for the motion to defeat Christchurch Boys’ High School. The judges considered there were some outstanding individual speakers in the competition. Those who received special mention were Stephen Robertson of St Thomas College, Richard Evans of Christ’s College, Liz Baker of St Margaret’s College, and Anne O’Connor of Buller High School. In summing up for the judges of the final, Mr John Milligan commented on the impressive debating ability of Miss Hayward.