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Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1939, Page 6

Dr Frederick Staton. Mus.Bac.. conductor of the Sheffield Philharmonic Society's choir and a musical authority. says definitely that New Zealanders have an accent. "I can notice it in the children during examinations.” said Dr Staton. "It is quite obvious. I should say it approximates the London Cockney—not in the worse sense of the word, but something between the educated Londoner and the Cockney." Asked if he had any ideas as to the genesis of accent, and its development. as was so strongly noticeable in Canadian and American people. Dr Staton said he had given the subject considerable thought, as he had loured Canada several times and he had a theory which he intended to expound at ti later date. He rather prided himself (like the professor in "Pygmalion") on being able to place a man's country by his speech. He placed New Zealand in the south of England category.