PUBLIC SPEAKING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 2

PUBLIC SPEAKING.

DETERIORATION IN NEW ZEALAND. MR. JUSTICE CHAPMAN'S VIEWS. Addressing the large audience present in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday night, at the Plunkct Medal' Oratorical Competition, Mr. Justice Chapman had something to say regarding the deterioration noticeable in the style of public, speaking to-day throughout the Dominion, with special reference to the decline in the quality' of forensic oratory, in Courts of Justice.

Tlio learned judge observed that . to him a competition l of the kind 'to which they _had just listened had a: real meaning, and he hoped it had a.- real meaning to the-students present in the. gallery. He was sorry to say. that •at times he had to put up with a good deal of ;very 'bad speaking..; He said sowith all seriousness, and he', was going to say something still more-un-complimentary to some members of tins legal profession.. Ho. hud. had to ..put ■up with a great deal of very, bad and .indistinct speaking from..:members 'of • the Bar, trained, as'schoolmasters arid teachers. ; He was not referring to aiiy particular. locality, because .ho. hitti, from time to time, to roam all: over tho country, and he had had in various parts : 'of the country to put■ •''himself, through paiiiful processes by reason ol members of the Bar not speaking out and using organs of speech in the way : that thoy should be used..-. .That 'was ■why competitions of that kind,had a. real moaning for himj because he was able to say that, as a' result cf. that kind of competition, some of the younger members of the Wellington Bar, who had commenced' their .career, hi: Court. ;in' recent:; years",..had shown ;a . distinct advance in. forensic, speaking on .the; conditions that prevailed'/ immediately beforo their tihie. .(Applause.) .That, ho 'considered, .'was. to, the credit, of Victoria; College.: Ho .'was .not saying this by way ofi compliment, but'he. said it,by way of : encouragement:to'thpse! who not only were .endeavouring to win ; competitions of this kind, but to,' better themselves; and' .those around!. ; ' theiri, studying with' them, in training themselvejj for tho serious work of life : in which they proposed to Center.' -The' students before :'h/irh were.tho'guardians of, tho : .English' .languagd,.: ih "4111* country. , ; They. had been.:'told by; ah authority,in this country that.;a'iiew. : pronunciation .was growing;up';in.,New; Zealand.: ' It. might ; be: that such . was .uiiavoidable';- bijt' what he;had to .complain: of was.not:'a new, biit'.the total .want of ''pronunciation: He did not say this, for the sake of. oriticisiii,: but .in ! the .hpp'ij . .that ■' :it might do good. .There was ■;:prevalent a: habit; of: dropping • one syllable : put 'of l ,bilei wordj and'one word.out of.a''long sentence.. That was seriously- impair-, ing good speaking amongst the; popula-.; tibu'.'of the Dominion; and he tilibught it was part; of'-tlio : duly of.'•graduates iind undergraduates in colleges, sitchj'asIhe Victoria College,"'proceeding ; to !the struggle of, life,' to" bear' in. mind'"that, ' iliey; were. ; guardians;of.;thb; English' language .in. this country. From V col-/ leges,': such;:asV:thisi.:wbuld;. proceed-;ih.:' the future the, schoolmasters and'tho teachers throughout the! Dominion.' He ;ivas sorry ; 'to'':say. that: their.speaking ; ;was not always .of. the best,.buti 'such as it • was, .they might be .sure ■■ that' it ■'.ivas that,., aiicl !nbtliing ; :b'etter,'that, was lihpartfid, to. the -population;: and ; -he; should,!;be! sorry to! see a!..;wholesale "deterioration ;of .English speaking:.;;by those who go /forth from. ouiv'!vpUblic'; schools; : -, It; 'rested" with : :the' students: now at; college to. keep up the standard.' He thought they .could rely-on the:!competitors.of that ni'glit,to' do'-their;share, : and not 'only, on th'enr,. but. bn!>!niaiiy', others .;whp wereaspifaiitSiiii-the' ballot; in which .they- 'were selected I .y.' i As': , ,lie' .had: already . stated, evidences ! of: an improvement werev.appearihg in\; ;p;ur ; Courts, v but. the. subject -was; : one •■C;ri' .which' lie-/felt.;bound to speak. ■; (Ap-,: - : : .' i ; ;;/'/! ; :/ ': ■ -;:'';,';;'■'/! vji-jj