CATHOLIC CLUBS

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1945, Page 6

CATHOLIC CLUBS

Competiti® ns Results

Patronised by large numbers, the annual competitions, as well as the conference, of the South Island section of the Federated Catholic Clubs of New Zealand, opened on Saturday morning and during the week-end yzero continued with marked success. Yesterday at 8.15 a.m. there was a parade of all of the delegates and competitors at St. Columba Hall, and at 8.30 they attended Mass, where there was general Communion. Last night there was an extra large crowd at the competitions, which will continue this morning with the oratorical competition at 9.30, when Mr G. G. M. Mitchell will act as adjudicator. This afternoon the conference will conclude, and at 3 p.m. the annual banquet with the presentation x of prizes will be held, while the visitors tonight will be the guests of the M. 8.0.8. at their ball at Schaef’s Hall.

The Federation has every reason for satisfaction with the entry into the lists of the . lady members of clubs, who in all instances have acquitted themselves admirably, and have heightened the interest in every event.

On Saturday morning a civic reception was tendered to the visitors at St. Columba Hall. Very Rev. Father J. Long expressed his gratification at the privilege which the gathering was for the parish, and his admiration for the work of the clubs. It was the third to be held here, and with the people he had been pleased to have encouraged them to come, trusting that all would find their stay' an enjoyable one.

Mr P. Blanchfield, Deputy Mayor, said that he had, on behalf of the citizens, to welcome the visitors most cordially to Greymouth. Certainlj’’ this gathering would tend to give their club life a lush impetus, and also would enable the visitors to extend their knowledge of this district. He had been desired by the Mayor, Mr F. A. Kitchingham, to apologise for his absence. As one who formerly had competed on these occasions, said Mr Blanchfield, he knew the educative value of the contests, and was pleased to note that the young ladies were now to try conclusions with the .young men. They trusted that all would carry away very- happy recollections of their stay. Returning thanks for the welcome on behalf of the Federation, the VicePresident, Mr J. B. Cull, of Dunedin, said the cordiality of the reception was much appreciated by all the visitors. He said Thomas Carlyle once preached the doctrine of silence, but since then the culture of public speaking had spread among the people, and it was one of the objects of their clubs. In Father Long they had an old and tried friend, and they also appreciated the kind expression of public welcome from Mr Blanchlield, expecting that this gathering would further the work of their organisation. Fie expressed the regret of the Federation President, Mr G. F. Curran (Dunedin) at his inability to be With them. Mr M. G. Kelly, President of St. Columba Club, said they were glad to have the many visitors as their guests, on whose behalf Rev. Father McCarthy had especially been instrumental in making the arrangements. Staff Sergeant W. J. Jessett, non. President, of Christchurch, spoke in very grateful terms of the hospitality extended to the visitors by their hosts in Greymou.th, where they had been very comfortably billeted, and the hospitality shown was undoubtedly that of the genuine West Coast variety. Following are the results of the events so far decided:- — DEBATING COMPETITION. The debating contest—for which the subject was “That Youth should participate to a greater extent in the Government of the Future”—occupied the judge, Mr R. T. Bush, throughout Saturday, concluding about 10 p.m. It was won, with 175 points, by the team of the Invercargill Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Club, whose leader, Mr E. Maloney, with a total of 93 points (including reply) was adjudged the best individual speaker. Second place was filled by the representatives of St. Joseph’s Social and Debating Club, Fapanui, with 170 points; the second member, Mr J. Ashby, with 73 points, gaining the second highest individual marks. Third place went to St. Columba Club, Greymouth. The best lady speaker was Miss Aileen Gdanitz, leader for St. Christopher’s Younger S'et (Christchurch), whom the judge commended for her emotional force and sincerity of style. The judge eulogised Mr Maloney’s effort as a faultless display of clear, 1 cool argumentation, while Mr Ashby had been also outstanding among the supporting speakers. The contest had been an excellent one, with the speeches all on a creditable level. He had found his task a most interestingone. Following are the results:— Holy Name .Society, Addington (affirmative): Mr McManus 69 points (reply 6), Mr Crook 72, team work 13 —total 160; St. Christopher’s Younger Set, Christchurch'(negative): Miss Aileen Gdanitz 76 (reply 6), Miss M. Cosgriff 64, team work 9—total 155.

St. Social and Debating Club, Papanui (aff.): Mr W. Young 74 (reply 6), Mr J. Ashby 78, team work 12—total 170; Riccarton Catholic Debating Club (neg.): Mr W. Brown 69 (reply 6), Mr D. McSweeney 75, team work 11—total 161. Greymouth Catholic Youth Movement (aff.): Mr T. Power 67 (reply 7), Mr J. Coyle 66, team work 11— total 151; St. Christopher’s Boys’ Club, Christchurch (neg.): Mr.B. McCormick 67 (reply 7), Mr J. Barry 68, team work 10—total 152.

Invercargill Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Club (aff.): Mr E. Maloney 86 (reply 7), Mr A. Grace 69, teajfexork 13—total 175; Newman / Christchurch No. 2 L. J. Fairhurst 69 (reply G)f Miss K. McMillan 73, team work 11—total 159. St. Mary’s Club, Hokitika (aff.): Mr R. Quinn G 7 (reply 9), Mr T. Keown 71, team work 10—total 157; Newman Society No. 1: Mr K. ThWaites 71 (reply .7), Miss Mcltean 72, team work 12—total IG2. St. Columba Club, Greymouth (aff.): Mr M. G. Kelly 76 (reply 8), Mr J'. Gilbert 70, team work 12—total 166; Celtic Club, Christchurch (neg.): Mr J. Hodgens 72 (reply 8), Mr Stewart GS, team work 12 —total 160. TABLE TENNIS) . J. Cloher (Hokitika) defeated P. Cosgriff (Riccarton).. ■ K. Curran (Invercargill) defeated A. Sheehan (St. Christopher’s Boys). I. Wilson (St. Christopher’s Young-

er Set) defeated J. Mears (Greymoutn C.Y.M.). j D. Ashby (Papanui) defeated M. Stone' (Christchurch Holy Name). A. Kelly (St. Columba) defeated J. Prendergast (Newman No. 2). Semi-finals: Wilson defeated Kelly, Cloher defeated Doyle, Curran defeated Ashby, Wilson defeated Cloher. Final; Curran defeated Wilson. BILLIARDS. Th e competitions resulted as follows;— St. Columba (A. Twohill) 1 St. Mary’s, Hokitika (E. Allen) 2. Catholic Youth Movement, Greymouth S (.F. Grogan) 3. Twelve clubs competed. The highest break in the tournament was 66, made by A. Twohill. In the preliminaries Newman No. 1 (Knight) beat Celtic (P. Doyle); St. Columba beat Riccarton (Kelleher); Grey C.Y.M. beat St. Christopher’s Boys (McAulay); Invercargill (Gilbert! beat St. Christopher’s Younger Set (McGuire); Newman No. 2 (Prendergast) beat Addington (Costigan); and Hokitika beat Papanui (Ashby). The tourney was on the two life system. ELOCUTIONARY COMPETITION. Miss Hopewell, St. Joseph’s, Papanui (“Lepanto”—-G. K. Chesterton) 91 -Ist. Mr L. Phillips, St. Columba, Greymouth (“Gloucester” —Shakespeare) 90—2nd. Miss F. Mulrennan, St. Mary’s, Hokitika (“Eineen” —Padraic Pearse) 86—3rd. Miss E. Kenrick, Newman No. 2, Christchurch (“The Highwayman”— Alfred Noyer) 82—4th. Also competed:—Miss T. Mullan, Celtic, Addington “Hound of Heaven” —Francis Thompson); Mr J. Maybury, St. Christopher’s Boys (“Montrose”); Miss V. Lee, St. Christopher’s Younger Set (“God’s Own Country”— T. Bracken); Miss V. McDonnell, Greymouth C.Y.M. (“School for Scandal); Mr J. B. K. Curran, M. 8.0.8., Invercargill (“The Highwayman”); Miss T. McGough, Riccarton Catholic Club (“The Ballad of Splendid Silence”- —Nesbit). RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS. Miss M. Casey (R'iccarton Catholic Debating Club) and Miss B. Sloan (Celtic Club, Addington) equal, 1. Mr B. Crombie (M. 8.0.8. Invercargill) 2. ' Also competed: Mr B. A. Simpson (St. Christopher’s Younger Set, Christchurch), Miss I. Connell (St. Joseph’s Social and Debating Club, Papanui), Mr W. J. Smith (St. Mary’s Literary and Debating Club, Hokitika), Mr A. Mullins (St. Christopher’s Boys’ Club, Christchurch), Mr K. Thwaites (Newman SocietyNo. 1), Mr K. Curnow (Catholic Youth Movement, Greymouth), Miss C. Noble (Newman Society No. 2), M'r J. Keating- (St. Columba Club, Greymouth), Mr B. Mclntosh (Holy Name Society, Addington). The judge, Very Rev. Father J. Long> said that the work of the competitors was of a good standard, though they tended to treat the questions set in an irrelevant manner. IMPROMPTU SPEECHES Mr P. Mulrennan (St. Marys Literary and Debating Club, Hokitika) 1. Miss M. Carroll (Celtic Club, Addington) and Mr J. L. Kelly (Catholic Youth Movement, Greymouth), equal 2. Mr I. Thompson (St. Columba Club, Greymouth) 3. Also competed: Miss FI. Leahy (St. Christopher’s Younger Set. Christchurch), Mr B. Fairhurst (Newman No. 2), Mr D. McSweeney (Riccarton), Mr W. Leeming (St. Christopher’s Boys), Mr E. Malonev (Invercargill), Mr K. Thwaites (Newman No. 1), Mr J. Ashby (Papanui). The judge, Mr E. L. Kehoe, said that the subject, “There’s Many a Slip Twixt the Cup and the Lip,” had been well handled. All the competitors had a very good delivery, but the winner was the only one to deal with the subject from all angles. SHIELD POINTS. Points allocated up to last evening in all events for the Hayward Shield were as follows: — Marist Old Boys, Invercargill 9; St. Mary’s Club, Hokitika, 7; St. Joseph’s Club, Fapanui, 6; St. Columba -Club, Greymouth 6