DOMINION DEBATERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 29 November 1929, Page 13

DOMINION DEBATERS.

ACTIVITIES IN AMERICA.

ONLY TWO DECISIONS LOST.

(Received November 28. 7.15 p.m.)

NEW YORK, Nov. 27

The members of the debating team from Victoria College, Wellington, New Zealand, are Hearing the completion of their tour of the United States and Canada. To-day they were entertained by the English Speaking Union at New York.

The visitors will leave shortly for New England where they will debate in several universities. Subsequently they are to return to New York for a debate in Columbia University on January 5 prior to sailing for New Zealand from San Francisco.

The members of the team have been greatly pleased with the opportunities they have had of seeing Canadian and American life, especially at the smaller colleges. They have had a full schedule of debating in many colleges, both for men and women, and have lost only two decisions.

SUCCESS AT VANCOUVER.

THE UNITY OF THE EMPIRE.

[from our own correspondent.l

VANCOUVER. Oct. 30,

By unanimous decision of the three judges, debaters from the University of New Zealand defeated the University of British Columbia, before an enthusiastic gathering here. The subject was, "That the British Empire is in Grave Danger of Disintegration." Mr. G. R. Powles and Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, of Victoria College, Wellington, took the negative side of the question, while Mr. Frank Morlcy and M p . James Dunn, of the University of British Columbia, upheld the affirmative. The judges, who gave their decisions individually, were Mr. J. B. Farris, Mr. J. R. Sanderson and Dr. F. Burnett. Ml\ Justice Murphy was chairman. Mr. Morlcy, opening the debate, declared that "self determination could not co-exist with Empire." Ho outlined the progress toward autonomy made by the Dominions since the war, and maintained that political unity no longer existed within the Empire.

Mr. Bowles, speaking first for the visitors, said tho British Empire had survived tho war becauso it had in it tho spirit of liberty. Ho pointed out that it rested with the affirmative to show an actual disruptive force at work to-day within tho Empire. Mr. Dunn devoted himself to a discussion of tho present formation of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and declared the only bond between tho membors was Imperial sentiment, and that was not sufficient. He claimed tliero was neither a common culturo nor common citizenship in tho Empire, and that national and economic interests wero pulling it apart.. Mr. Mountjoy, after replying to a number of Mr. Dunn's arguments, mado a detailed examination of tho attitude of the Dominions toward secession. He quoted prominent men from all parts to show that no spirit of separation existed. "Tho Dominions have nothing to gain and much to lose by separation," he declared.

In the five-minulo rebuttal speeches allowed each speaker, the visitors showed themselves experts at repartee. The' decision in favour of tho New Zoalanders was popular with the audience.

The visitors left on a tour of the prairies and tho United States, which will Grid their tour at San Francisco in tho middle of December. Mr. Walter Hall is tho third member of tho team.

Messrs. Mountjoy and Hall won the judge's decision in a debate against Nigel Lawrence and Jack Soucicr, of Calgary. The Victoria College debaters took tho affirmative in tho contention "that tho emergence of women from tho home is a regrettable feature of modern life."