STUDENTS' SPEECHES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22139, 19 June 1935, Page 9

STUDENTS' SPEECHES

EARLY DAYS RECALLED JUDGES IN HUMOROUS VEIN Some good-natured exchanges took place between Mr. G. W. von Zedlitz and Mr. H. O'Leary, K.C., two of the judges at the annual Plunket Medal oratory contest of Victoria University College, Wellington. "In the dark old days when Mr. O'Leary won the prize the quality of the speeches was not nearly so good as now," said Sir. von Zedlitz. "That was when the hotels did not close until 10 o'clock, when the women at Victoria College were much more attractive without artificial aids, and when there, were bookmakers on the racecourses." Shortly after he came to New Zealand, Mr. von Zedlitz said, he went to the races and got a lot of fun out of listening to bookmakers pronouncing horses' Their pronunciation was more or less the standard of Plunket Medal debates in those days. Mr. von Zedlitz also gave examples of the varied pronunciation by members of Parliament of Archimedes. In defence of himself Mr. O'Leary said that for many years Mr. von Zedlitz had closely followed football, and in view of the deliberations of tho All Black selaction committee he had the greatest difficulty in keeping him to the job. Mr. O'Leary was fearful that the first result his co-judge might announce would be that of the selected team, but he had put him on the right track and„ he had given the results in the correct order.