PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2683, 16 August 1905, Page 81

PASSING NOTES.

By D.L.F. Civis 11.

Special* Subject Week has come and gone once more, and has again been voted t success. Perhaps it can be truthfully said to be even a greater success^ than last year's as there wa-s a choice of subjects, and + he sameness which proved rather monotonous in last year's contributions was absent in this year's. Still, many writers' names weic conspicuously absent. Among the. 30 contributors I noticed only two from ths fair city of iDunedm. and still we boast of our famous town D.L.F. Famous they may be, but not in S S.W. The excellent contributions of Auntie Daisy Primrose, Devonshire Dumpling, Ccoee, Tussock, Fra Diavolo, and one or two other retired writers speak silently, but eloquently, of tho interest still taken in D.L.F. affairs by our old ccmrades, and of the splendid writers the page could boast in days gone by. By the way, Edievale may just as *yell have said (like a few others did) that part at least of her essay was copied. 'Twould 1 have looked nioie honest.

So far I have only mentioned the Debatin? Clubi in a casual way, but now the time li°.s come when I must say something about them, and that something very much to the point. In his letter Boy diawa a somewhat startling comparison between the two clubs. "Lookoison sec most of the game, we arc told, ani, as Boy can be viewed in the ligh. of _a looko: on, wo oan also suppose that he Has seen most of the game. And according to his report we are led to believe that the JnvercargiH Club i=s in ? much mcie nourishing condition than oui Dnnedin one. Taking the truth of Bey's verdict for granted, we naturally a«k, "Why is tins so? The Dunedin Club is an o'dcr club, thero are more D.L.F. in and about town than at Invercargill, therefore the Duneclin Debating Club ought to be in a prosperous and flourishing condition. In ahcrt, it oujrht to be a much superior club than the smaller one in the southern city." Yes, it ought, to be, brt. according to Boy's opinion, it is net. Whoss fault is this' Surely not !he club's officials'? No, certpinly jiot. The idea is not to be harboured for one moment. Where could be found a more efficient president than Harry, who has been Dot's loyal correspondent almost sinre ever he could write, and who has penned many an interesting letter to cur page, and that is more than can bs said of many who call themselves D.L.F. to-day Then there is our energetic secretary, T. D. A., and our two woithy vice-presidents, Black Watcb and Go Hoi. No, the fault dcos not lie with th» club's officials; they at least have the welfaie of the club at heart, and do their best to set it on a firm foundation. Boy says that tho Tnvercargiil Club has had to fight ogams* difficulties. Well, so has the Dnnedin one. though not the same kind of difficulties. I am going to be brutally candid. Dunedinitcs, and say that th.c difficulties against -which the Dunedin Club has had to fight— iv fact, 's still fighting against — lie in the ibehavioiu of n good many of those who attend the meetings. What do people usually attend a debating club for? Why, to debate, or, if not, to listen to the debates Oh, could we but see right into the hearts of all the Duneclin Club's atteiiders- many snd varied would bis the reasons we should see why they attend the club's meetings. One fact is conspicuously obvious — they do not go there to debate. Their voices are heard, certainly, but not in debates or in the reading of papers. It is to be sincerely hoped that Quago's sly hits against those offending members will take effect -that they will see the "error of tiieii ways," and rouse themselves into activity; that they will no longer be "drones," but active, earnest workers, as befits Dot's L.F. vho are members of a D.L.F. Debating Club, so that when next Boy visits Dunedin, he may carry away with him a mtitih batter impression and a rnucn higher opinion of Dunedin L.F. and ot their club.

The Dragon's suggestion that L.F. should combine to have a D.L.F. bay at next winter show is worthy of our earnest consideration. It is to be hoped that both clubs, and also all L.F. all over New Zealand, will take Dot's advice and .give the proposal all the thought snd consideration which is due tinto it. It is true that the suggestion is not lacking in magnitude ; indeed, it appears almost monstrous • but is it not also true that Dot's little folk arc an enthusiastic and energetic- body? They, have accomplished much in the past ; what they shall yet accomplish the future holds hidden.

While hurrying down George street one afternoon Mrs Civis and I met a boy wearing a badge — not a D.L.F. badge. . This I discerned at once, but Mrs Civis, not possessing such keen eye.sight as myself, greeted the wearer thus: "Hulloa, D.L.F.!" and receiver] an answering "Hulloa!" When we hod passed I, of course, solemnly rebuked my worthy helpmeet for her forwardness, explaining that it was not our beloved badge she had seen. Thus by experience did we both learn the truth of T. I. C.'s words, that badges worn by the Dunedin Harriers closely resemble thos3 worn by Dot's little folk.

It has reached my "critical ears" that a, certain well-known country D.L.F. of the fair sex is accused of being: Civis 11. Truly "some have greatness thrust upon them." Civis a girl ! The joke is first class. I hav° been wondering how I would look were I to don feminine apparel, and in it make my appearance at the club. Sure, little folk, yo\i wouLd not recognise your old comrade.