DEBATING SOCIETY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 164, 12 June 1926, Page 10

DEBATING SOCIETY.

OPENING OF SEASON. Mr G. C. Petersen presided over a good attendance of members and visitors at last evening’s meeting of tho Palmerston North Debating Society. Tho opening of the season took the form of a debate, the subject being “That modern life is too fast for progress.” Messrs E. L. Foddy and Hardy took the affirmative side of the question and Messrs A. D. Campbell and AV x . J. Crawford supported the negative. Mr Foddy for the affirmative drew a comparison between modern civilisation and that of empires of the past. He asked whether we were hastening towards this similar consummation of ideals. Modern development had destroyed the mutual confidence which had previously existed and the development of industry had an unfavourable result on the -workers who now sought to break the monotony of their lives in hectic amusements. The people in pursuit of pleasure neglected the more serious aspect of life. The recent Great AVar proved that no real progress bad been made with presentday civilisation.

Mr Campbell, leader for the negative, maintained that the greater attention given at the present to child welfare is a true indication of progress. The so-called fast living of today had been proved beneficial to the public by indication of the low" death rate. Great progress in science had assisted the human race and this had disclosed the fact that modern life was normal.

Mr Hardy, in support of liis colleague, the leader "of the affirmative, dealt w'itli the moral and political aspect of the question, while Air Crawford for tho negative traced the progress of the world in social and business life.

At the conclusion of thhe debate a show" of hands was taken to determine the winners and the negative side was proclaimed victorious.