LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9185, Issue 9185, 8 April 1910, Page 6

LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY.

SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL MEETING.

There was a most encouraging attendance of interested people at the Opera House supper room last night ■ to nfect Mr Geo. Wilson, a Debating Society enthusiast, who has ehown such commendable energy and enthusiasm in reviving local interest in the art of public speaking.

The Mayor presided, and in his opening remarks referred to the great value of such a society to the town as a means of intellectual improvement and as a nursery for future public speakers. Ho read a letter from the Mayor of Timaru, giving particulars of the flourishing Society in existence there, and wishing every success to Palmerston's venture.

Mr Wilson then, spoke on debating societies as he had known them, outlining a scheme of work for the session, and generally giving the meeting tho benefit of his experience.

Mr Maurice Cohen, in moving the motion of the evening, that a Literarv and Debating Society bo formed, made a characteristically able speech. He said he felt himself a "back number" now, and the young men would have to work out their own destiny in this matter, but he was, nevertheless, extremely pleased to be present. Public speaking was interwoven with the traditions of the British race, for the right of free speech was always considered one of the heritages of a Briton. The speaker referred interestingly to the evolution of speech from the first articulate expressions of primordial 'nan —expressions which merely made known his necessities —to the transference and exchange of thoughts and ideas which marked man in the final stages of evolution. This ability to exchange thoughts and ideas was tho distinguishing mark between man and the brute. The encouragement of research was one of the chief values of an institution such as it was proposed to establish. Knowledge was thus acquired, and as the old copy books used to eay. "Knowledge is power." Some of the world's greatest speakers had learned to express their thoughts in debating societies in consecutive and concise manner. Another valuable outcome of such an institution was the development of alertness of mind and quickness of judgment. Napoleon had said: "I can stand a man who thinks quickly and acts slowly; 1 can stand a man who acts quickly and thinks slowly; but the man who neither acts nor thinks quickly is of no use to me." Then men discovered in themselves latent inherent powers through such societies. It was a thrilling feeling to discover responsive chords in your .hearers, and to find yourself capable of making those chords respond. That sense, of power was a most valuable adjunct.

Mr Burnard seconded the resolution which was carried.

A provisional committee, consisting of Messrs M.. Cohen. Burnard, Billons. Robertson. Proctor, Brown. Cookc, and Wilson, was appointed to arrange details.