Non-WSU Competitions

National Speaking Championship Participation

The Wellington Speaking Union regularly participates in the National Speaking Championships conducted by the New Zealand Council of Debating Unions. Details of successes appear below.

Norwood Trophy for Prepared Debating

1957

A.A. Jennings, I.G. McLeod, I.L.McKay, A.T. Pitts

1958

K.J.A. Frost, J.G. Sclater, P.J. Hickey, T.N. Bright

1966

W.G.T. Wiggs, D.F.B. Stevenson, T.A. Roberts

1967

W.G.T. Wiggs, J.H.C. Larsen, T.A. Roberts, B.E. Brill

1973

B.O'Connor, D. Gledhill, M.R. Manning

1976

T.A. Roberts, W.G.T. Wiggs, J.A. Young

1978

T.A. Roberts, W.G.T. Wiggs, J.A. Young

1981

R.J. Smithies, A.A. Curran, N.D.V. Cheer

1983

N.D.V. Cheer, N. Hannan, M. Gledhill

1985

R.J. Smithies, N.D.V. Cheer, A.A. Curran

1986

P.R.F. Biggs, J.D.A. Fanselowe, N.J. Sainsbury

Protectus Cup for Oratory

1968

T. Potter

1969

T.A. Conlon

1970

B. O'Connor

1972

J. Friel

1974

D.C Hutchison

1975

B. O'Connor

1976

B. O'Connor

1977

C. Finlayson

1978

B. O'Connor

1979

M. Stott

1983

B. O'Connor

1984

E. Curran

1985

M. Gray

1988

B. English

1991

R. Fenwick

1996

Chris Corry

Canterbury Cup for Impromptu Speaking

1968

B. O'Connor

1969

B. O'Connor

1970

B. O'Connnor

1971

N.D.V. Cheer

1972

N.D.V. Cheer

1973

P. Wah

1976

J. Hopkins

1980

A.A. Curran

1981

N.D.V. Cheer

1982

N.D.V. Cheer

1984

B. O'Connor

1985

B. O'Connor

1987

C. Finlayson

1988

W. Hope

1989

T. Boyle

1996

Neil Miller

Harden Cup for Impromptu Debating

1977

J. Hopkins and A.A. Curran

1978

L.Q. O'Connor and T.J.B. O'Brien

1979

R.J. Smithies and B. O'Connor

1980

A.A. Curran and R.J. Smithies

1984

N.J. Sainsbury and J.R. King

1992

D. Capie and A. Crawley

1993

D. Capie and C. Walker

"Ben's Bowl": Best Performing Union

1989

Wellington Speaking Union

1990

Wellington Speaking Union

1991

Wellington Speaking Union

1993

Wellington Speaking Union


World Speaking Championship Participation

From time to time, New Zealand teams or individuals, reach the top of their fields in public speaking and debating. Three times, New Zealand secondary schools debating teams have reached the pinnacle of world debating. Many of the people involved have been, or currently are, associated with The Wellington Speaking Union.

1991 World Schools Debating Championship

Venue: Edinburgh

Won by:
New Zealand

Captain: Catherine Williams
Team: Neil Anderson, Neil Miller, Richard Suhr
Coach: Rosemary Dixon

1992 World Schools Debating Championship

Venue: London

Won by:
New Zealand

Captain: Richard Suhr
Team: Vina Araite, Susannah Bridge, Alexandra Gillespie
Coach: Rosemary Dixon

Venue: Cardiff

Won by:
New Zealand

Captain: Rachel Smithies
Team: Nicholas Flanaghan, Julianne Pitt, Hayden Ryan
Coach: Andrew Stockley