STUDENT ORATORY

Evening Star, Issue 22085, 19 July 1935, Page 13

STUDENT ORATORY

BLEDISLOE MEDAL CONTEST WON BY MISS C. HIGH STANDARD REACHED As a result of the triennial oratorical contest for the Bledisloe Medal, which was held before a fairly large audience in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night, many interesting stories from early New Zealand history were told. In all, there were eight speakers, two from each university centre, and the oration of practically every one had some bearing on the pioneer days. The Maori was figured prominently. The standard of speech was high. If there was a weakness it was a tendency on the part of some of the contestants to fall short of oratorical eloquence because of their inability to shake free from the intonation of debate, with which univeristy students are more familiar. The contest was won by Miss C. Forde, of Victoria University College, who undoubtedly did full justice to her 12 minutes’ resume of the life of a great man—James Edward Fitz Gerald.

The judges were Dean Cruickshank. Dr J. R. Elder, and Mr J. M. Paterson. > Announcing the result on behalf of the judges, Dean Cruickshank referred to the high standard reached, and said they would aUS agree that it was an invidious task to discriminate between the eight speakers. However, it was the duty of the judges to select one for the honours. He ventured to predict that the losers, as well as the winner, would be heard again by the New Zealand public. , , . The medal was presented to Miss Forde by Mr W. J. Morrell (Chancellor of the University of Otago). Mr 11. E. Guthrie (president of the Otago University Debating Society) acted as timekeeper, Mr W. Downie Stewart, M.P., who was in the chair, explained that the contest was held every three years, and that this was the second contest to be held. The medal for the prize-winner, he added, was only one of many generous benefactions left in the Dominion by Lord Bledisloe, and he had no doubt that the judges would forward to him a report or the contest. _ Mr Stewart specially welcomed visiting students.

PIONEER SURVEYORS. Mr C. F. Hart (Canterbury College), whose subject was ‘ The Pioneer Crossing of the Whitcombo Pass,’ paid a tribute to the courage of the men—the early surveyors of New- Zeaymd—who over 70 years ago carved out a route over the Whitcombe Pass in order to open up valuable pastoral country in the hinterland of the South Island. Showing considerable descriptive ability, Mr Hart drew a clear and colourful picture of the kifid of territory through which Whitcombe and his colleagues had to work after leaving Christchurch on their mission, and, with great earnestness, not untinged with emotion, he went on to outline the hardships and dangers faced by these intrepid engineer-explorers, LORD RUTHERFORD. The greatness of Lord Rutherford, scientist and man, was strikingly dealt with bv Mr J. S. D. More (Otago. University), who drew attention to the fact that some of the marvels of science had been unravelled by a farmer’s son who had not been born great, but who had attained success and kept up the standard of his work by application and thoroughness. Mr More traced Lord Rutherford’s career from his schoolboy days at Nelson College, and through Canterbury College, to the realm of science in the Old World. The- allimportant disintegration of the atom was a feature of Lord Rutherford s work emphasised by the speaker, who remarked that the nations of the world had united in bestowing upon this distinguished New Zealander the highest scientific honours which it Jay in their power to give. Mr More at times reached impressive heights of eloquence, and his effort carried a sincere note which rang true. A REIGN OF TERROR. In his address on “ Hauhauism ” Mr E. K. Braybrook (Auckland University College) referred to the rise of a certain section of the North Island Maoris against the white men, making particular mention of Te Ua’s fanatical attitude towards the race that had Christianised him and his people and had fed them. With very little effort and gaining emphasis more by lowering his voice than by favouring clamant oratorical tricks, the speaker told a graphic story of a mentally unbalanced native leader who started a serious rebellion based on false and empty promises and, by the horrors of the campaign, caused needless sacrifice of life. MAORI PATRIOT. The subject chosen by Miss B. M. Cahill (Auckland University College) was ‘Te Rauparaha.’ "*Tnis theme, based 011 another chapter from Maori history, was handled by the speaker in a manner that indicated enthusiasm and feeling, a thrilling tale being told of the guiding genius of an influential Maori leader who was unremitting in his efforts to retain his covmtrv for his own people. Miss Cahill’s address was an admirable verbal picture of a patriot. DOMINION STATUS. Mr W. J. Meade (Otago University), who spoke on ‘ Dominion Day, 1907,’ commenced with a certain poetical fervour to trace tho_ growth of New Zealand. With the aid of a confident and strong delivery, by reason of which he was able to counteract a tendency to be abstruse, he followed the history of this country from youth to manhood, a state which, ho maintained, was reached when King Edward decreed in 1907 that New Zealand was to be known as a dominion. His speech, as a whole, constituted n glowing tribute to those who had the early responsibilities of New Zealand in their keeping.- He summarised his oration in the simple, forceful statement, “ They built well who built our nation.”

JAMES EDWARD FITZGERALD. 4 James Edward Fitzgerald ’ was the subject chosen by Miss C. Forde (Victoria University College), who made a touching opening in Tier reference to Fitzgerald’s simple grave. There was no national monument to this great pioneer statesman, said the speaker, but from his burial place one had only to look down on a scene that constituted the greatest monument a man could, have—Wellington, the capital city of a country whose destiny he had done so much to shape. Fitzgerald was the first premier of the New Zealand House of Representatives, and his battle in the interests of the country was based on a sane and humanitarian consideration for the Maori race. Miss Forde’s eloquence in - appreciation of a noble statesman did not fail to make a well-deserved impression on the audience. Ultimately she was declared the winner. PAKEHA AND MAORI. Speaking, he said, as a member of the Maori race, Mr Bennett, of Canterbury University College, said that, in dealing with ‘ The Introduction of Western Culture into the Midst of the Maori,’ he would show a certain amount of poignant sympathy for his Maori forbears. Referring to the onrush of hostile forces and a conse; quent disintegration of the Maori race, Mr Bennett said that Western culture had, a most disrupting effect on the Native race. Captain Cook estimated the Maori population at 100,000, but it was probable that his figures were based on the coastal tribes only. There was evidence that there would be about 400,000 Maoris at that period. European firearms were later used among the tribes to pay off old scores, and through this and other causes the Maori population was reduced by 60,000 in four years. Mr Bennett concluded in a more cheerful strain when he said that, with the coming of the twentieth century, the Maori race rose from its lethargy and began to discern what it was wise to accept and what it was wise not to accept from Western culture. The Maori race, he declared, faced the future with confidence. TE KOOTI. A picturesque figure in the person of Te Kooti, the peaceful trader who became a dangerous fanatic, was presented by Miss D. Souter (Victoria University College). In a natural manner, which was easy to follow, Miss Souter told her audience of the events, centring around a trial and banishment, that led to Te Kooti’s conspiracy to get his revenge against the race, some of Whose memberß_ he considered had done him an injustice. In dealing with Te Kooti’s flight to the Urewera country and his peaceful ending in a state of respectable civilisation, Miss Souter’s pleasing delivery lent colour to an absorbing story. Prior 1 to the announcement of the verdict of the judges Mr Evan S. Tuckwell sang with characteristic ability 4 Rolling Down to Rio ’ (German) and 4 King Charles ’ (White). On the motion of Mr W. J. Morrell (Chancellor of tfie University of Otago), the speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.