YOUNG ORATORS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 36, 11 August 1930, Page 17

YOUNG ORATORS

JOYNT SCROLL CONTEST

INTER-UNIVERSITY DEBATE

"WON BY AUCKLAND

After a close and interesting contost, the Auckland University , College) team—Messrs. E. Molvin and E, Griffiths—were adjudged the winners of the Joynt Scroll, in the annual debating contest at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday night.--Mr. Melvin was. also adjudged the best speaker. The subject was, "That the Labour ■government Has Been Beneficial in the [Various Parts of the Empire . where tt has Operated." 'The Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, presided, and the judges were- Mr. J. A. Young, M.P., Canon Peixival James, ana Mr. H. F. O'Lcary. Debating has always occupied si prominent place in New Zealand student life, and the Joynt Scroll contest js one of the three contests that made- up the first New Zealand University tournament. Of recent years the public have shown a great deal of interest m the contest, and Saturday night was no exception. Each speaker was allowed titteou minutes in which to state his case. TIBST DEBATE. Affirmative (Canterbury University College), Mr; C. S. Perry, Miss C. WestWatson. . Negative (Otago University), Mr. E. S. Eussell, Mr. E. S. Tuckwell. Mr. Perry said that the value Oi. the Labour Party was unquestionable.' It had always acted with the law in its constitution. Had there been a Labour Party in Eussia and France there might never have been revolutions in those countries. The Labour Party in Australia was definitely the only party with sufficient imagination to formulate ideas. The speaker mentioned the integrity of the Labour Ministers, and said that their party was the only one which retained the original purity of its ideas. In Australia it had increas-" ed'-the standard of living, which was a. most important thing for the morale of the country. ~A NARROW POLICY. Mr. Tnckwell, for the opposition, said that the only difference between Labonr and wild fowl was that Labour had made a "perfect duck." Labour in Australia, said" the speaker, advocated a..most narrow policy. Unlike other parties, it did not advocate' that the country should be filled up with kinsmen from the British 'Empire. Tm Australia it advocated the abolition of the Upper Chamber, which was the people's sanctum against sudden and hasty legislation and. party measures. The speaker mentioned the recent strikes in Australia, and said- that the Labour Government handed over the destinies of the country to the-ruffians, who prorogated them. In doing that Labour had killed industry. In conclusion, Mr. Tnckwell said that the Labour Government in Australia had promised much, but done little. BRITAIN AND AMERICA. I 3;i the -opinion 'of" Miss West-Watson, the iabour Government in Great Britain iuid been the means of solving many, international problems. The greatest achievement of all, perhaps, waS-ifth-e improvement, in relations between Britain' and America, and in the speaker's opinion cordial relations be-tween.-those two countries wass-the sur-. est guarantee for the- peace- of the world. An argument often levelled at tha Labour Party was the world-wide question, unemployment, and it was unfair to criticise tho party by saying that it had not improved to any .appreciable extent that vital question. Labour had not been inactive in that respect, and by raising tho school ago and granting pensions, etc., it had alleviated the distress to some extent. In •ftonclusion, the speaker said, that, among other things, Labour had alleviated the conditions of the working classes in. England. FOREIGN POLICY UNSATISFACTORY. Speaking against tho motion, Mr. Russell said that in his opinion tho Labour Government had not been successful in any country where it had been established. He described the ''tactless attitude" of Mr. Snowden ia Great Britain, and said that Labour in, England had lost for the Mother Country hex position as mistress of the seas. This was greatly to be deplored, as it was absolutely essential that that position should bo maintained. The speaker strongly denouncod Mr. Henderson's actions in giving way to.Russia. The fact that Britain's prestige was low in various parts of Europe and in Asia should also do laid at the feet of the Labour Government, whose foreign policy had been most unsatisfactory. The English Labour Party had made its greatest mistake in its home policy, and had failed entirely to cure unemployment. SECOND DEBATE. ; Affirmative (Victoria University College): Miss C. S. Torde, Mr. A. E. Hurley. , Negative (Auckland University): Mr. K. Melviu, Mr. E. Griffiths. Speaking on behalf of the Labour Government, Miss Fordo said that, as on previous occasions, the- present Government in England was a minor-j ity one, and had to dance to tho tunoj played by Mr. Lloyd Georgo and his merry men. In view of the youthfulness of Labour, it was hardly fair to T>ut it to comparative tests. The Government of a country reflects on tho poople who elect it, and if Labour had the necessary backers it would bo uioro beneficial th^n it is. Miss Fordo said that Labour stood primarily for tho interests of tho working class, which was, in the opinion of a well-known authority, the nation. The fact that Labour liad persisted in face of tho strong campaign made agaiust it through the Newspapers and other channels was proof that it was beneficial. No other Government had to contend with such Vnjußt treatment as Labour, ;ind any Jnistake it made became most distorted. liACK OF THINKING DEMOCRACY. Mr. Griffiths was of the opinion that the previous speaker had failed to give any specific incidents which showed that the Labour Government had been beneficial. The cause of Labour's failure was the lack of thinking democracy, which was absolutely essential for the benefit of. legislation. Tho speaker severely criticised Labour's home and foreign policy, and commented on the money that had been wasted since Labour had been in power. Unemployment had not been assisted, and he expressed doubt whether any benefit had been derived from tho dole. "LABOUR A RESTORATIVE." The success of Britain's foreign policy, trade, and finance was due to the Labour Government, declared Mr. Hurley. Two 'of many important things done by tho MaeDonald Government were the introduction of a marketing board and tho institution of a seven-hour day for the mining community. Also, the Factories Act, which hoc! been out of date since 1900, had been brought up-to-date. Tlio teaching staffs of schools had been increased, better buildings had been erected, and tho school ago had been raised. The speaker referred to tho Labour Govern-' $mt of Australia, and said that j t* Tsra&ejrs? ponditions tad been j

vastly improves. "Labour is_ a restorative suid not a new revolutionary idea," concluded the speaker. In support of Mr. Griffiths's argument, Mr. Melvin said that any benefit to Britain's foreign policy was not due to the Labour Government. Comment had boon made of the establishment of cordial relations with the nations of Europe, but in the speaker's; opinion the English Labour Government had not re-established fraternal relations with Russia. The speaker maintained that the financial deficits of England were due, to some extent, to the Labour regime. "Tho Labour rule in Australia has been dominated entirely by trade unionism, and class dominance is prominent where Labour plays a deep game, and where it has created concessions and awards to that element of tho community which is the noisiest," said Mr. Melvin. In his concluding remarks, the speaker said that Labour had proved itself a failure by its inability to govern. Mr. Young said that the judges were unanimous in awarding first place to the Auckland team, and in adjudging Mr. Melvin the best spesikcr. Speaking generally, ho said, the contestants lacked positive-ness in support of their iirgumuuts, and the benefits of tho ■Labour Government had not been made apparent.