THE DEBATING SOCIETY.

Hastings Standard, Issue 321, 13 May 1897, Page 3

THE DEBATING SOCIETY.

[To The Editor.] Sib,—l have read what " Licensed Hail" had to say; I have also read the remarks made by " Independence," and cannot help thinking that neither of them can know what a debating society is, or they would understand that there is not a licensed hall in Hastings suitable to hold a debate in. Any room as large, or nearly so, as the Council Chamber, with a good fireplace in it would suit the Society, if* centrally situated ; as even if the members indulge in a warm discussion there is nothing like a good fire to warm the room on a cold winter's night. When attending the last meeting of the Society I ascertained that they had paid what the Council asked for the use of their room and held a receipt for the money, and that they bought and paid for their own firewood. It seems to me that your two ignorant correspondents are only desirous that the Debating Society should be debarred from using the Council Chamber in order to compel them to hire a licensed hall. Surely the taxpayers have no objection to the debaters using their room if they pay for it, wheij they allow the Native Land Court and the Heretaunga Dairy Factory to use it. The Society has begged for nothing, but paid its way from the beginning, and is quite able to pay for a room even without increasing the members' expenses.—l am, &c., Debater. Hastings, May 18, 1897.