"ADULT FRANCHISE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1115, 1 May 1911, Page 6

"ADULT FRANCHISE."

STUDENTS DEBATE THE QUESTION. The secon'd meeting, for the session, of the Victoria College Debating Society was held in the Social Hall at tho College on Saturday evening, an audience of 85 being present. The chairman announced that the society's representatives, Messrs. C. 11. Taylor. M.A., and M. H. Oram, M.A.. had been successful in winning the Joynt Challenge Scroll at the inter-univen-ity tournament at Auckland, this being tne fifth occasion on which the scroll had been won for the society. . The motion for discussion was-. "That it is in the hest interests of tho United Kingdom to adopt a system of Adult Franchise." The .supporters of the motion, which was moved by Messrs. P. B. Broad and C. A. L. Treadwell, contended that tho granting of the vote to tho masses would tend to raise them to a higher level. It would certainly prevent the working'man's interests'from being entirely neglected in Parliament. Tho right to vote was a step towards political freedom and independence. The right of one man to look after another's political interests had always meant the oppression and subjection of the poorer classes. The refusal to give the vote to women, who hear a largo share of the burden of taxation, was a violation of the principles of justice. ■ In reply, the opposers of the motion, Messrs. T. N. Holmden and E. M. Mackersey, maintained the advantago of government by tho few,' in preference to government by the masses. Intellect and genius, were, i'ar 'more conducive to efficient legislation than was ignorance. Government by the masses would probahly havo prohibited the introduction of the spinning jenny and the steam engine, and prevented the creation of the British Empire. The most convincing objection to adult suffrage was that the masses were not yet able to solve political problems for themselves. An efficient and broad education system, if in operation for a few decades, would remedy this defect, and the question might be discussed in another light. The debate- was characterised throughout by wit and humour, interjection and retort, and effective demolition of the contending cases.' Mr. Sievwright gave a very succinct criticism of each of the 16 speakers, and for tho purposes of the Union Prize placed tho best speakers in tho following order:—Mr. W. J. Jt'Eldowney (90 points), Mr. A. Fair, LL.B. (8-1), Miss Marshall (75), Mr. F. Hall-Jones (74), Mr. E. W. Inder (73), and Mr. G. Watson (72). A hearty vote of thanks to tho judge concluded the meeting. The motion for debate on Saturday, May 13, is: "That tho courses provided and the methods in vogue at this Collego tend to narrow tho student's outlook." Thoso concerned in tho university reform movement should find tho discussion a most interesting one. I