NEW ZEALAND DIALECT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2842, 5 February 1925, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND DIALECT.

DISCUSSED BY SCHOOL INSPECTORS. Wellington, Last Night. Ts Now Zealand developing a disrinelive accent of its own ?" Sir James Parr sought the opinion of delegates to the School Inspectors’ ('onferenee on the point to-day. Mr \V. \V. Bird, chief inspector, Wellington, said that undoubtedly there was a decided tendency ainong children to broaden the vowel sounds. In dairying districts, said Inspector Dr. J. W: Mclllvvraith, of Auckland, there also was a tendency to poor speech because the children grew tired and teachers did not give sellicient instruction in phonies. He had been in London recently and believed that the accent of the East End was purer than that of some districts of the Dominion Imt would not make a wholesale denunciation. Home districts were better than others. Mr T. E. Warner, North Auckland suggested regular voice drill and charts giving correct sounds for teachers to follow when instructing children.

.Mr W. Itaslani, Canterbury, disagreed. The speech of children was not so poor. As regards accent, in i lass a bov spoke correctly hut outside it seemed to consider it “bad term" or affectation to do so. Mr J. A. Valin tine, Taranaki, admitted the tendency hut said child- . 10-day were better than those of ten years ago. Other speakers held that eonditii'iis were not so unsatisfactory. The Minister suggested that inspectors should pay attention to the matter. The Education Department would get out a languages' text-book for teachers and ask for special attention to the matter by Training Colleges.