"Admirable series'" of interfaculty talks

"Law" and "Classics" were the subjects discussed at the first of a series of lunchtime Interfaculty Talks, organised by the Free Discussion Club "to give students an informal glimpse into the subjects of others."

Shirley Smith dwelt mainly with "curiosities of law." Law was not dry, dusty and separate from life. On the contrary, it was living, it was made by men and existed for the preservation of their rights. When we read through old records of law we find stories delightful in their whimsicality and their humanity. For example a judge, ruling on the question whether habeas corpus applied to a slave in irons on a visiting boat, freed the slave because "the air of England is too pure to be breathed by other than free men."

The study of Classics had no great "practical" value, and is not valuable as a discipline of the mind as some have maintained, said David Simmers. But it had an important place in the humanities, which is the study of people.

The Free Discussion Society is to be complimented for providing us with this admirable series of talks. Some are better than others, and in half an hour much has to be left unsaid. But there is no doubt that they are welcome.

A lighter speech was delivered by Mr. Antony Wood, who in a friendly, colloquial fashion informed the audience of the career of Ernest Von Weizacker. Unfortunately we were left in doubt as to where Mr. Wood's own sympathies lay. The speech was inadequately prepared and the delivery, confidential and not very fluent

The final speaker, Mr. Ted Thomas, had a good command of his subject, and of his voice. His manner was assertive and impressive. He delivered a fluent speech on George Orwell. Unfortunately he did not give his audience as adequate a knowledge of George Orwell as we might have liked and although he spoke well he failed to make the audience feel that his subject was as real to them as it was to him.

After three quarters of an hour in consultation, the judges announced their decision. Sir David Smith gave an excellent analysis of the various speeches which was both penetrating and helpful. The other judges on the panel were Mrs. Z. B. Graham and Mr. J. R. McCreary. The judges' remarks were some of the beat that have been heard at Plunket Medal for years and they are to be congratulated on their judgment