ORATORY CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 307, 16 September 1918, Page 6

ORATORY CONTEST

STUDENTS COMPETE FOE PLUNKET MEDAL. The annual Phtnket Medal Competition of the Victoria College Debating Society was held in the college gymnasium on Saturday night. There was a large attendance of students and their friends. The competition was instituted by Lord Phinket, then Governor _ of. New Zealand, in 1905. -Lord Phinket donated a sum of money to provide annually a medal which was to bo awarded to the'winner of a contest in oratory. Before the war the contest was held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, and attracted a good deal of public interest. It was abandoned in 1914 and 1915, and since then has been held in the gymnasium. The members,of the society intend to hold their competition in a public hall again when the,war is ended. Seven/competitors took the platform on Saturday night, each speaking for twelve minutes legarding some notable man of ancient or modern history! Tho competitors and their subjects were :is follow:. A. B. Crakei:. "Lord Roberts" ; M. A. Egbert, "Daiiiien of Molakai"; K. AVhitehouse, "David Livingstone"; C. G. Kirk, "Captain Scott"; AV. A. Sheat, "Sir Eric Geddes''; N P. MartinSmith, "Lord Haldano"; W. E. Leicester, "Richelieu." The judges were the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education), the Hon. J. Rigg, and the Rev. Dr. Gibb. ■ The speeches displayed wide differences of style and quality. The matter usually was good, though in some instances preparation had been carried too far and the competitors lost force ihrdugh obvious straining after effect. The manner of delivery showed that the work done in college debates had not''been wasted, but several competitors showed some lack of confidence and consequent lapses of memory. Dictior. and enunciation reached a fairly high standard, but gesture usually was weak. The judges, after some deliberation, awarded the medal to Mr. MartinSmith, who had made a vigorous and fairly effective defence of Lord Hal(iane's administrative activities in connection with the British t Army. Mr. Kirk, who had a less mature style but considerable natural eloquence,_ was given second place, and Mr. Leicester was placed third. In "announcing the decision of the judges, the Hon. J. A. Hanan" said the judges were agreed that four of the speeches had possessed a high degree of literary merit and that their presentation had been very good. Lapses of memory and efforts to remomber prepared words had marred some of the speeches by interfering jvith the freedom of style so necessary for_ effective public speaking. He had noticed himself a tendency on the part of competitors to fall'into the error of many cultured speakers by using long and unfamiliar words and getting over the heads of tlieir audience. Some of the speeches had lacked grip. Two of tho speakers had shown'themselves able to hold the attention of their audience firmly. One competitor had shown himself to bo a forceful speaker. Mr. Hanan added that lie attached a great deal of importance to the study of public speaking. The nation had too many clever writers and not enough strong and convincing speakers, who were needed to develop a sound public opinion and stimulate political progress.