Notes By the Judges.

It seemed to us that all the men had carefully read no the subject and thought it out for themselves, the result being a distinctly high-class debate. Regarding the question, the correct conclusion probably is that the crucial point in the war against Napoleon was the establishment of England's supremacy at sea by Nelson; without this Wellington could have done nothing. To Wellington belongs the credit of dealing the finishing blows which finally effected Napoleon's downfall. Opinions will differ as to which is the more important work, but we think that to Nelson fell the more difficult as well as the more momentous undertaking. If England had lost the supremacy of the sea at Trafalgar it is not easy to see how it could have been regained. It is not so certain that if Wellington had been defeated all would have been lost.

As to the competition, we had no hesitation in placing Victoria College first, with little to choose between Dunedin and Canterbury for second place, Taking the speakers individually, we thought Mr. B. Murphy (Dunedin) excelled in the clear logical presentment of his case. He spent perhaps a little too much time over his introduction which left him hurried at the finish, and his manner was cold and unimpressive. Mr. Cook (Canterbury) showed a good grasp of the subject and readiness in taking up the points made by his opponents. His was perhaps the best debating speech of the evening. He showed a judicial tone in giving full weight to his opponents' arguments before replying to them.

Mr. Burnard (Otago) showed the fluency and confidence associated with much practice, but trusted a little too much to ad captandum appeals. He weakened his speech by the opening personality, which seemed to have been prepared beforehand. Personalities in debate are only effective in cut and thrust combats, when one blow produces another.

Mr. McIlwraith's speech was full of good matter, but suffered from want of compression and logical arrangement. His delivery was somewhat preachy and monotonous, and this too no doubt helped to spoil his speech.

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The two Victoria College representatives, by dividing the work, were enabled to cover a wider field than the other competitors, and this probably gave them some advantage. Both Mr. Kelly and Mr. Fitzgibbon showed a clear apprehension of the question at issue, and are to be congratulated on the way in which they presented their case. Mr, Fitzgibbon s speech to our mind was the best of the evening from an oratorical point of view, although it fell somewhat below Mr. Cook's in debating power.

The Auckland delegates, Messrs. Hampson and Stanton, did very well as regards the matter of their speeches, but seemed to lack force and readiness of reply. Mr. Hampson appeared to us to make a mistake in trying to compress too much detail into his speech with the result that his delivery was too hurried and he failed to make his points tell. This is one of those cases in which we fancy the half is better than the whole.

One point to which we think attention should be drawn is the faulty pronounciation of some of the competitors. Many of the foreign names introduced, such as Grouchy, Leipsic, Ligny, Torres Vedras, and so on, proved stumbling blocks to more than one of the speakers. We also noticed traces of "twang,"— a tendency to say "vitalitee" for vitality, "veree" for very, and other solecisms, which ws regret to notice creeping into Colonial speech. We ought to be able to look to University students to keep up our English standard of pronunciation and to stop the tendency to degeneration which is becoming apparent even in New Zealand, where we used to pride ourselves with reason on speaking the best English in the Australasian Colonies. Several of the candidates would derive great benefit from lessons in voice production, and it might be considered whether the time has not arrived when elocution might with advantage be taught in our colleges, as it is in Ormond College, Melbourne, and elsewhere. As regards the general style of delivery we think Messrs. Fitzgibbon, Kelly, and Cook are especially deserving of favourable notice.

In conclusion we would like to caution the College Debating Societies against the growing tendency to long introductory or preliminary matter, which always appears to be merely dragged in for effect and gives an artificial air to the speech.

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Have You Been Introduced to Your Fellow Students?

Though you he an absolute stranger to every other student in the College, we want You, if only for that very reason, to make a special point of attending the

Victoria College

Students' Association Annual Capping Carnival and Graduates' Supper to be given in the Sydney Street Schoolroom, on the 29th instant, in honour of the Graduates of the year. Each one of the 378 students now attending lectures at out College doubtless

Expects

to improve himself by attending College, but some are apt to forget, in their feverish anxiety to secure the addition of certain magic letters after their names,

That

they owe a duty to their fellow-students as well as to themselves. A University course is intended to INSTRUCT as well as Educate.

Every Student

should realise his responsibilities in this connection. If he claims to be a "superior" person, then let him be unselfish and help others to become polished like himself by associating with them; if he feels himself inferior to his fellows he

Will

obviously profit by rubbing shoulders with those around him. The Students' Association exists for the purpose of promoting the welfare of students. Students, therefore, will

Do

well to take advantage of such opportunities for the promotion of social intercourse and good fellowship, as will be afforded them on the 29th and 30th June by the RE-UNION of past and present graduates and undergraduates in honour of those whose hard-earned Diplomas will be presented to them on Capping Day. The Chancellor will doubtless have

His

little (?) say on the Friday afternoon, but the evening will be ours. Let it be clearly understood that in addition to the usual entertainment, carnival, concert—call it what you will—there is a Free Supper for students only which it is the

Duty

of all to attend. If You have not been to a previous one, come this time. If you Have been before—well, we shall expect you again!

Ask About It! Think About It! Talk About It! But Don't Forget About it!