ORATORICAL CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2879, 18 September 1916, Page 7

ORATORICAL CONTEST

PLUNKET MEDAL-COMPETITION SPEECHES AT VICTORIA COLLEGE Tlie tenth annual Plunket Medal contest, liold under ttio auspices 6f the Victoria College Debating Society, took place at the college on Saturday evening. Lord Plunkel;, during iiis term of office as Governor of i\'ew Zealand, made provision for tho presentation of a medal to the winner' of a contest in oratory, to be held annually, among the students of the Victoria College. Tho competition was not hold in ISM and 1015, owing to the departure of many senior students with the troops, but entries wero invited this year, and livo competitors faced tlia judges on Saturday, night. Mr. G. G. Watson, president of the Debating Society, occupied tlio chair, and there .waa a .large gathering of studonts and othera interested in tho event. The. judges wero the Rev. A. 31. Johnson, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., and Mr. Clement Watson. Tho competitors liad chosen their own subjects, in accordance with tho usual conditions of tho competition, and they faced tlio nudionco in the following order:—Mr. K. G. Archer ("Booker Wash, ington"), Mr. G. 0. Cooper "Lord Roborts"), Mr. E. Evans ; ("Garibaldi"), .Mr. L. K. Wilson ("Cecil Rhoues"), ■ Mr. G. T. Saker ("Socrates"). Each speaker was allowed twelve minutes. The chair, man made a fow introductory remarks, explaining the inception and conditiona of the contest., iho suggestion had been made, lie said, that the contest was of recitation rather than oratory, since the competitors had prepared and memor. ised their speeches before mounting the platform, but this criticism was scarcely just. Tho fact was that every great orator prepared his speeches' carefully, and studied the manner of their delivery. Any speech that' was to he of quenco must be carefully prepared, a point that might bo commended to tho consideration of many public men. The speeches all gave evidence of careful preparation, both of matter and. delivery.' The competitors had studied their subjects, and they showed, for t'ho most part, an appreciation of tho broader aspects of the careers they; were decribing. Mr. Evans was particularly successful in this respect, his sketoh of the political consequences born of tho idealism of t'ho great Italian patriot showing sympathy aud historical sense. Mr. Cooper handled an easier, subject , very well. Mr. Archor was weak in gesture, and over-addictcd to superlatives, but he spoke well. Mr. Baker *waa chatty rather tbau oratorical, and Mr. Wilson tended to fall into a.' l'ecitative monotone. , The judges, after deliberation,, awarded tho medal to Mr. Lvalis, with Mri Coopei second, and Mr. Archer third. Tho decision was announced by Mr. Wilford, who (iaid that tho judges had been unanimous, though tlio differcnco in tho Quality of the threo best' speeches had not been strongly marked. "Tho judges agreed that all tho speakers appeared to forget they had nn audience,' said Mr. Wilford, "and that thero, was too much recitation in all tho speeches." Aftor reforring briefly to each of the speeches, Mr. Wilford said that the chairman had expressed tho opinion that Unless a speech ladj boon carefully • pre-, pared it was hardly worth listening too. "Well I have heard him and you have heard' me," ho added, amid laughter. "I think that some change should bo made in tho conditions of tho contest. Too much of tho speeches" liad been learned by heart. Each speaker was good at elocution, but some of tho gestures were rather late. The judges believe that in. a contdst -for this .medal there should bo more originality ( of ex-, prossion. Wo beliovo the capacity for such originality is in tho men who have spoken -to-night. The medai is awarded for oratorv, and a in an. who claims it should bo able to move tho people lie is addressing with the words and the feelings that aro within him." Mr. Wilford ht.nded the medal to Mr. EvansiV -The audience-gave hearty cheers for tho competitors, aud tho judges.