Wellington Speaking Union | Debating in Wellington

Scots College emerged the victors of the 2009 Senior Premier A Grade after defeating Chilton Saint James School in a spirited debate at the Wellington City Council Chamber last night.

Scots thus won the Henning Cup for the second time in its 39 year history.

The Scots team consisted of Henry Hillind, Nick Cross, and James Gavey. They successfully affirmed the motion “That New Zealand should become a republic” against the Chilton team of Amy Wilson, Jodie O’Neill, and Jasmin Moran.

Nick Cross of Scots College won the Suffrage Cup for the best speaker in the Grand Final.

Congrats to both teams for making it to the Final and producing an excellent debate for a large audience.

The winning Scots team is pictured below, with their coach.

Here are the results from the Junior Certificate Grade semi-finals held last week.

Paraparaumu College 1 v Hutt International Boys’ School
Paraparaumu College 2 v Sacred Heart College 2

The Grand Final will therefore be between Sacred Heart College 2 v Hutt International Boys’ School on 28 October. Time and venue TBA.

The topic is: That New Zealand should become a republic.

Good luck to both teams and congratulations for making it this far.

Tawa College 3 defeated Wellington East Girls’ College 1 in the Grand Final of the Senior Certificate Grade, held last night at Hutt International Boys’ School.

Congrats to Tawa, who retain the Rennie Cup for 2009. Past winners can be found here.

More details, including the names of the winning team, to come.

Last night the Victoria Sheld impromptu debating tournament was held at Victoria University. Eight highly competitive teams started the tournament, which ran on a knock-out basis.

The semi-finals featured veterans Ranald Clouston and Neil Miller against up-and-coming Vic debaters Udayan Mukherjee and Paul Smith, with Clouston and Miller prevailing in a 2-1 decision, arguing that neo-liberalism has had its day. In the other debate Richard D’Ath and Kathy Scott-Dowell defeated Seb Templeton and Ella Edginton, arguing that privatisation is not the answer.

The Grand Final was an interesting and close debate on whether or not people should eat meat. In the end the affirmative arguments about the unsustainability of modern agriculture, the growing world food shortage, and the immorality of eating animals won the day and Clouston and Miller were declared the victors in a 4-1 split decision.

Thanks to the adjudicators of the evening: Jenna Raeburn, Yogesh Patel, and Matt Cuthell and to everyone for entering.

This evening the Stockley Cup public speaking competition was held at Turnbull House, with junior students competing for the Dunsheath Cup and senior students for the Stockley Cup. The competition was adjudicated by Rosemary Dixon (life member of the WSU) and David Dewar, a former champion schools debater.

In the junior section the following prizes were awarded

3rd equal: Stephen Lines (Hutt International Boys’ School)
3rd equal: Jessica Paliaret (Queen Margaret College)
2nd: Anna Bergen (St Mary’s College)
1st: Lauren Holloway (St Catherine’s College)

In the senior section the winner was Ruth Corkill (Queen Margaret College).

Congrats to all who entered, particularly the prize winners.

Here are the results from the Junior Certificate quarter-finals, held on Wednesday 26 August.

Topic: That our heroes are hollow

Paraparaumu College 1 v St Oran’s College 1
St Mary’s College 1 v Paraparaumu College 2
Sacred Heart College 2 v Wellington College 1
Hutt International Boys’ School v St Patrick’s College, Silverstream 2

The semi-final draw is as follows:

Paraparaumu College 1 v Hutt International Boys’ School
Paraparaumu College 2 v Sacred Heart College 2

Here are the results of the Senior Certificate Grade semi-finals which were held recently.

Wellington East Girls’ College 1 v Sacred Heart College
Tawa College 3 v Wellington College 1

The Grand Final of the grade is due to be held on 17 September and will feature Wellington East’ Girls College against Tawa College 3.

Here are the results from the Junior Premier grade quarter-finals which were held recently. Winning teams in bold.

Topic: That we should legalise voluntary euthanasia

Hutt International Boys’ School v Chilton Saint James School
Wellington College v Tawa College
Onslow College v Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Wellington Girls’ College v St Catherine’s College

The draw for the semi-finals is below. Teams on the left will affirm.

Topic: That we should arm all police officers

Chilton Saint James School v Wellington Girls’ College
Onslow College v Wellington College

Results will be posted after the 23rd of September when the debates are due to take place. Good luck to all teams.

The final rankings for all teams in the Junior Premier grade will be posted shortly too.

The Senior Premier A Grade Grand Final will be held on Tuesday 22 September at 7pm at the Wellington City Council Chambers.

The motion for the debate is: That New Zealand should become a republic.

Affirming will be Scots College and negating will be Chilton Saint James School.

The winning school will receive the John F Henning Cup, donated in 1961 by the then United States Ambassador to New Zealand, who took a great interest in debating. Past winners can be found here.

The best speaker in the Grand Final will be presented with the Suffrage Cup, donated by the Hutt Valley branch of the National Council of Women, long-time supporters of schools debating. Past winners can be found here.

All involved with Wellington schools debating are invited to attend the Grand Final. You can find a copy of the invitation here.

Last night the Premier A semi-finals were held at Samuel Marsden Collegiate. Both debates were on the topic “That governments should protect endangered languages”.

Chilton defeated Marsden by a 3-0 margin
Scots defeated Wellington College by 2-1

The Grand Final will be on Tuesday 22 September at 7pm at the Wellington City Council Chambers between Chilton St James School and Scots College. More information, including the topic, to come.