Speaking on John Reed, an American journalist who ended his life in Russia, a character almost unknown to the majority of his audience. A. Katz gained first place in this year's contest for the Plunket Medal. His speech was unusual and interesting, since, for one thing, his subject matter was novel to the listeners.

A. H. Scotney, who was placed second, gave a fine oration on Cecil Rhodes. That he had his audience with him. was proved once when he made a slip which otherwise would have brought laughter but was received in dead silence.

K. J. Scott (Dr. Schweitzer) and J. Foster (Julius Caesar) received the judges' nods lor third place equal. Dr. Schweitzer, a scientist who has braved the dangers of West Africa, was a good choice, and Julius Caesar, presented from an unusual slant, being shown mainly as a reformer, also held the attention.

Leonardo da Vinci, chosen by Graham Crossley, was a most difficult subject for a Plunket Medal, and the speaker, taking this into consideration, did well.

Kingi Tahiwi spoke on Te Rauparaha. and his excellent voice was heard to advantage in a good oration on this Maori warrior and chieftain.

Miss M. Prideaux-Pridham introduced us to Sir Walter Raleigh, and gave a sincere oration on the Elizabethan adventurer and gentleman.

C. G. Watson's subject, according to the official programme, was Karl Liebknecht, a German Socialist, and we were thankful for that programme, otherwise we might have been fooled.

Plunket Medal Rules.

Plunket Medal, "Rule 4, reads:—

"Each competitor shall be allowed 12 minutes, and the subject of his discourse shall be some man or woman of note in history"

A loose interpretation of the expression "in history" has permitted competitors to take for their subjects living persons, upon whom history cannot rightly be said to have passed its judgment. A looser interpretation of the expression "of note" has resulted this year in a competitor winning with a subject concerning whom the judges confessed that they had never heard. The circumstances that Don Passos (or whoever it was that wrote the article which the winning competitor so ably recited) considered John Reed worthy of note does not seem sufficient to constitute this person "some man or woman of note in history." nor does it serve entirely to allay the suspicion that he was just a second-rate Yankee reporter. Has the Committee of the Debating Society such difficulty in obtaining speakers that it cannot afford to give a little attention to the standards of the Contest?

Why not Stamps?

The convenience of being able to obtain writing materials and post letters here on the premises is often neutralised for many people by the fact that stamps cannot be obtained at any place nearer than the G.P.O. Could not the Cafeteria supply this deficiency by selling stamps in addition to its other stationery ?