Plunket Medal Contest

This year's contest was chiefly notable for the unusual level of general excellence exhibited in the efforts of the contestants. There was not a single boring speech. Yet it is doubtful whether any speaker attained to the highest flights of oratory. It is true that Mr. Reardon was really powerful and truly eloquent in his climax, and that Mr. Scott's ending was most effective. Yet,, in both cases the passages of true oratory were but incidents in quite ordinary speeches. Two speakers, Mr. Crossley and Mr. Scotney, both used the method of contrast well and gave vigorous critical studies of their selected persons of note. The winner, Miss Forde, in the most finished performance of the evening, gave a pleasing eulogy in a polished style. The speakers won the plaudits of the audience for their treatment, often masterly and always interesting, and evoked the admiration, the reprobation, or the pity of their listeners for their subjects; but they did not to any great degree stir their audience. A past winner who has attended contests regularly for many years remarked after the contest that though the standing of speaking was very high, there had been no great oration, for no speaker page 46 had moved the audience emotionally—the goal of great oratory. The observation may or may not be just; yet it is a point often overlooked that the great orators have appealed to the feelings and emotions of mankind rather than to the intellect.

On the whole, the speakers were very happy in their choice of subject. The speeches, as usual, covered a wide range, and, indeed, included some entirely new names. St. Paul, The Unknown Warrior, Caesar Borgia, are, it is believed, personages who had not been taken before. Father Damien, Mary Queen of Scots, and Booker T. Washington (who has now been the subject of two winning speeches) are old favourites who offer great scope to a skilful speaker. The Unknown Warrior was perhaps the most difficult and least suitable selection.

Mr. Bishop gave a most interesting and graphic account of the life of St. Paul with some particularly striking pictures, as, for example, the scene when St. Paul addressed the hostile mob. Mr. Bishop succeeded in creating a lifelike personality and gave an excellent character sketch. Yet his speech was more of an address than an oration.

Mr. Bannister had chosen an exceedingly difficult subject in "The Unknown Warrior." In addition to having a theme requiring delicate handling, he had the difficult task of treating "The Unknown Warrior" as a person in history. The attempt was a praiseworthy one. Mr. Bannister's speech ended with a vigorous and spirited, though perhaps irrelevant, appeal to the youth of to-day.

Mr. Chorlton, speaking on Wiremu Tamehana, gave a good, though somewhat halting address. His matter was interesting and his literary style good, but his delivery was rather monotonous and his ending a trifle abrupt.

Mr. Scott had selected Mary Queen of Scots as his subject. In the opening part of his speech he seemed nervous and tense. Towards the end of his speech, however, he seemed to lose himself in his subject, and his conclusion was admirable, both for its dramatic power and its artistic restraint.

Mr. Reardon spoke on Father Damien of Molokai. His opening was not impressive and his speech, though interesting, was quite ordinary till, towards the end, he gave one of the finest pieces of oratory of the contest.

Mr. Scotney gave a very vigorous speech on Kaiser Wilhelm II. of Germany. He succeeded in the rather difficult task of conveying a clear idea of the political background of William's career. His language was particularly apt. His use of bathos in the sentence, "On every important occasion he failed: in time of difficulty he trembled. in defeat he fled, and in exile—he remarried," will not soon be forgotten. Mr. Scotney's chief fault was his rapidity of utterance,

Mr. Crossley gave a very colourful account of Caesar Borgia. It was a powerful speech delivered in a dignified manner. The narrative was well done, the spirit of the times revealed, and the infamy of the character was well portrayed. The peroration was forceful, though to some listeners the final sentence seemed too abrupt.

Miss C. S. Forde spoke on Booker T. Washington. Twice in succession now the winning speeches have been on negro characters. Miss Forde's speech was superior to those of the other contestants in the ease of delivery, the aptness of inflction, and the skilful use of pause which were employed. The diction ranked with that of Mr. Scotney as the most felicitous of the evening, and Miss Forde infused a warmth of feeling into her speech which was very effective. We congratulate Miss Forde on her success.

The judges, Mr. Justice Ostler, Mr. H. Atmore, M.P., and Canon James, awarded the medal to Miss Forde, and placed Mr. Crossley second and Mr. Scotney third. Mr. Reardon was highly commended. Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, Junr., presided over a large audience.