THE MOST CULTURED COUNTRY

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 14

THE MOST CULTURED COUNTRY

IN BRITISH COLONIAL EMPIRE,

CLAIM FOR NEW ZEALAND,

The opinion, that Now Zealand was the most cultured of the countries in the British Colonial Empire was advanced by Mr C. Egerton Lowe, F.T.C.L., examiner for the Trinity College of Music (London), who arrived in Christchurch on Tuesday (states the “Christchurch Times”). Mr Lowe’s high praise of New Zealand culture was based on his appreciation of the pure speech which he had noticed in earlier visits to the Dominion, when he was particularly impressed by the excellent vowel pronunciation—the key to good speech. “New Zealanders pride themselves on speaking English .as it should be spoken,’’ he declared. Further praising New Zealand speech, Mr Lowe recalled that on a previous visit to Auckland he had commended the excellent pronunciation and articulation of the elocution candidates. “I was interested and amused to notice that two days later a visiting Japanese admiral made almost exactly the same statement, saying how pleasing it was to hear New Zealanders speak,’’ he added. Gerat pains wore being taken in England by . the broadcasting authorities to correct vowel pronunciation'' \ and counteract the effect of some of the American talking films, Mr Lowa said. There was the use of the interminable American slang, accompanied by a nasal twang which was extremely objectionable.