A moderately-sized audience heard the 54th Plunket Medal oratory contest held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on July 2. The quality of the oratory was uniformly high. For the sixth time the contest was won by a woman. Merle Boyle, whose oration was entitled "Within the Maddening Crowd," was placed first. The judges ware Mrs Z. R. M. Graham, Professor Scott and the Mayor, Mr Kitts.

Speaking for the Judges, Mrs Graham, a former winner of the Plunket medal, said that Miss Boyle had a beautiful voice and an effective, dramatic oratorical style which surmounted the disadvantages of voice and presence usually associated with women orators. She had deep sincerity and her topic, the futility of material values as opposed to spiritual values, was of vital importance to mankind.

Criteria for Judging

Criteria by which the contestants were judged were:

1.	Degree of conviction,
2.	Presentation,
3.	Reflection of University training, and
4.	Reflection of University training, and

T. A. Roberts was placed second. His oration "The Last Walk of Timothy Evans," dealt with capital punishment and, in particular, a case where a man was hanged for a crime he may not have committed. Roberts had a powerful control of voice, drama and grip, but his speech was not equal to the winning oration in philosophical grasp, said Mrs Graham.

B. W. Middleton (whose subject was Euthanasia) was placed third. Despite the disadvantage of being the first speaker he kept the audience's attention with good material which built up in intensity. His presentation varied but was judged to be a little theatrical.

1.	B. W. Middleton—"Euthanasia."
2.	P. V. O'Brien—'The Honest Seeker—Albert Camus."
3.	P. W. Hogg—"Percy Bysshe Shelley."
4.	Merle Boyle—"Within the Maddening Crowd."
5.	J. H. C. Larsen—"T. E. Lawrence."
6.	F. A. Hamlin—"Hinge of Destiny—Abraham Lincoln."
7.	A. J. Hall—"The Current Influence of British Tradition."
8.	T. A. Roberts—"The Last Walk of Timothy Evans."

In the closing speech of the evening, the Governor-General, Lord Cobham, said he was glad the plan hatched several years ago in Government House to widen the scope of the subjects had resulted in much improved orations. In former years subjects have been restricted to "a great name

—J.B.