STUDENTS' DEBATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20332, 13 August 1929, Page 11

STUDENTS' DEBATE.

TRAINING COLLEGE CONTEST.

WELLINGTON RETAINS TROPHY.

DISCUSSION ON MACHINERY.

Tho Wellington Training College retained the Waghorn Vase for a further term by defeating tho Auckland College in tho annual debate, held last evening. Mr. V. C. Butler, president of tho Auckland College students' executive, presidod, Tho speeches wpro judged by Professor C. W. Egerton, professor of English at the Auckland University Collego. There was a largo gathering of students and frequent interjections were made. However, tho gathering exercised control and there was no evidcnco of disorderly behaviour.

Tho subject of tho debato was "That tho Introduction of Modern Machinery has been Beneficial to Mankind." Wellington look tho affirmative and Auckland tho negative. Opening for tho affirmative, Mr. F. Bailho gavo a brief outline of tho rise of machinery, stating that this riso had corresponded with an incrcaso in wealth and population. Machinery had done much for health facilities, its benefits allowing ,i general overhaul of sanitary conditions. Tho uso of machinery in making surgical instruments for tho safeguarding of health was emphasised. Machinery had also benefited education and facilities for travel had been widened by its introduction.

Mr. C. 'E. Woollcr, for tlio negative, coutended that machinery had conferred 110 real benefits. .As a result of its introduction and extension man bad becorno subordinate to tlio machine. In the Middlo Ages guilds of workers were in existonco and employers took an interest in their apprentices. To-day, tlio employer had no tiino to study his employees and tlio latter camo to loso their individuality. Unemployment could be traced to machinery, 33 machines made it possiblo to glut (ho market, so that men were put out of work. Another argument employed by**tho speaker was that a general indifference to the Church had followed tho introduction of machinery. Replying to reference mado to unemployment, Miss E. Higgio (Wellington) said that tho present position was due merely to a boom in previous years and not to any modern machinery. If men still wished to be drawers of water and hewers of wood it showed merely lack of initiative.

Mr. H. J. Addis (Auckland) was the only speaker to introduce humour into the debate. Ho also showed himself quite at, home with interjections and succeeded in keeping his audience in a good mood. Ho ended a pleasant speech by a humorous story to show the effects of introducing 100 much machinery. Mr. J. Cowan (Wellington) contended that many of the arguments used against machinery should bo levelled against man for his misuse of it.

Evils stated to bo duo to machinery were detailed by Miss M. Chilcott (Auckland). Anything which mado for happiness was a benefit, but not so tho superficial benefits of machinery.

Allowing points for matter, arrangement and delivery, Professor Egerton awarded YY ellington 194 points and Auckland 133, out of a possible 300.