PLUNKET MEDAL CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3192, 17 September 1917, Page 3

PLUNKET MEDAL CONTEST

HELD AT VICTORIA COLLEGE

MISS NEUMANN THE WINNER

On Saturday evening, the Victoria University .College Debating Society held its eleventh annual I'luukct iletlal contest in the College gymnasium. Mr. G. A. Cooper presided, and among thoso who ma<lo up a large and interested audience wero the Chief Justice, Sir iiobert Stout, the Minister of Education, Hon. J. A. Hanau, and tho Mayor of Wellington, Mr. J. P, Luke, C.M.G. Apologies lor absence wore received from the Prime Minister, tho Minister of Defence, and the Minister of Justice. Speeches wero delivered by. eight competitors upon, historical characters selected by them. Mr. IV. E. Leicester chosa "Cortes," Mr. H. G. Miller "John Bright,"-Mr. If. Robertson "Xohttoi," Mr. 1. Sutherland "John Wesley," Mr. G. H. Winder "Julius Caesar/' Mr. C. G. Kirk "General Gordon," Miss Neumann ''Florence Nightingale," and Mr. G. S. Troup "Abraham Lincoln." Messrs. C. B. Monsoii, K.C., C. E. Statham, M.P., ar-d Edward Tregeax, 1.5.0., adjudicated upon tho merit of the orations, which *wero limited to a duration of twelve minutes. In announcing the result of the competition, Mr. Morison said <hat the judges had not had au easy task to decide. Tho standard had been vory high throughout, and the differences were largely Sitt'erences of individuality. Tho judges had come, aftev a very heated debate, to the conclusion that on the wholo Miss Neumann, was entitled to first plnce. They place Mr. Miller second, and Mr. Winder third. They were of opinion that, other things being equal, natural expiession counted lor a vel-y, great deal in effectiveness in speech, arid they considered that Miss Neumann was the most natural of all the speakers. His Honour tho Chief Justice presented the medal to the winner, whom he congratulated upon her success. In proposing a vote of thanks to tho judges, Sir Robert Stout said that what he had heard that evening was a great credit to the college. Ho had been struck with the fact that the pronunciation of ali the speakers was good, and that there was no. sign of the "colonial dialect" satirised by Robert Louis Stevenson in writing of society in Sydney. All the speakers, moreover, possessed individuality, .which showed that the teaching they received allowed for the individuality of the students. During ail interval in the programme, members of the Glee Club ?endered musical numbers.