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The Plunket medal Contest

On the evening of Saturday, September 11h, the twentieth Victoria College Plunket medal contest for oratory took place. Mr. W. P. Rollings (chairman of the College Debating Society) presided, and by way of a kick-off, commented on the origin of the contest, which had been rendered possible by Lord Plunket during his term of office in the Dominion, and afterwards continued by endowment. The Hon. F. J. Rolleston, B.A., LL.B., M.P., Mr. J. Caughley, M.A., and Mr. H. H. Cornish, M.A., L.LM., were the judges.

Miss Mary Cooley spoke first, taking as her subject William Penn. Penn, she said, was a man courageous enough to renounce home, wealth and ease in order to live according to his simple religious beliefs. He became a Quaker, sought another life in remote and little known America, and in his dealings with the Indians, became a champion of justice, always adhering to his old policy of "tolerance."

In an excellent and original speech, Mr. Platts-mills, who spoke next, gave an account of Charles Dickens, of whom, he declared, everyone, "from the Legislative Councillor right up to the man in the street," knew, or thought he knew, something. He sketched the early life of Dickens, his upward struggle from adversity, his modest beginning as a law-clerk, and then as a journalist, and his final and amazing success. In depicting life as he did Dickens showed us its humorous side, while exposing to the light of scorn many of the evils of the time.

The third speaker, Miss C. S. Forde, lauded the name of Michael Collins, Irish soldier, statesman and patriot. With no special education beyond that of hard experience, he began his life work for Ireland at the age of twenty-four. Acting always in what he believed to be the best interests of his people, he went as a representative to the Irish Free State Conference with Great Britain, a step which, as he feared, lost him his place in the hearts of the Irish. Returning unwelcomed, he was charged with treason and assassinated by a rebel of the Free State.

Mr. W. J. Heyting, speaking on Jean Jacques Rousseau, pictured at some length the troubled youth of the philosopher and the development of his questioning mind. Despite limitations and reverses, he rose at length to be the advocate of "Truth and Virtue, and the champion of "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."

Mr. James, the last speaker, claimed that the Duke of Reichstadt, who was little more than a name in history, had, nevertheless, by his Lofty ideals achieved unsurpassed greatness.

The judges were unanimous in placing Mr. J. Platts-Mills first, Miss C. S. Forde second, and Miss Mary Cooley third. Mr. Rolleston, amid applause, presented the Plunket medal to Mr. Platts-mills. In conclusion, the chairman, Mr. W. P. Rollings, on behalf of the Society, thanked the judges, and the orchestra, under Mr. A. C. Keys, and Miss Reid, who played the violin, and Miss M. Davies, who sang.