CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 514, 16 February 1883, Page 21

CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY.

Christchurch, February 8. The programme for Monday evening, January 29, consisted of the farcical trial, " Geegan v. O'Connor," in which the plaintiff, as is usual in such cases, claimed heavy compensation for damages sustained to body and business in consequence of an assault committed on him by defendant. The president took the role of the presiding justice on the occasion, acting the pompous, vain, overbearing village magnate to perfection. He interrupted the witnesses in order to remind them to tell the truth ; read his private letters whilst the most important evidence was being given ; became deeply absorbed in the handicaps for some race meeting, whilst the counsel was making a speech for the defence ; and always consulted with the policeman concerning the character of a witness, no matter what his social position was. Mr. Perceval, counsel for prosecution, congratulated his worship on his elevation to the magistracy, and dwelt at much length on his many qualifications for that dignified position : his well-known integrity ; legal acumen ; in a word, no virtue was wanting. This he did in that fawning, grovelling manner, which most of us have seen acted in every day life by the servile, pettifogging village attorney when addressing the local Dogberry. ' 'Counsel then opened the case for plaintiff by saying, " that never in'ihe whole course of his professional career did he approach a case with more diffidence, &c." Described plaintiff as a man who would make a name in the world of science equal to an Eddison. He then called Mr. Geegan, the plaintiff, who deposed, after being warned by the Coart orderly " to tell the truth, the whole truth, or anything but the truth," — which latter proviso seems to be an advice more suitable to the morals of a vast majority of persons than the one usually employed on such occasions — that he was a galvanist by profession, and had invented a machine which had the property of raising the dead to life ; that he had commenced operations on the corpse of a man who was a rival, in the way of trade, to the defendant ; that the defendant having heard of this, and fearing that his rival might start an opposition business after his resuscitation, determined to ruin the plaintiff, which he did by knocking to pieces his machine and battery and then battering the proprietor into an unconscious state! Plaintiff further stated that since that time he baa forgotten the construction of his life-renewing apparatus, and also that a young lady whom he had restored to fife, and who had accepted him, had sent him a note breaking off the engagement. This note, which created a vast amount of amusement, showed that the writer held not only the plaintiff, but also Licdley Murray in the greatest contempt. The plaintiff substantiated his statement by appearing in court with a bandaged head and a black eye, and also read several testimonials a la Holloway, Cockle and Co.. from grateful patients. ' Mr. M'Swiggan made an excellent Miss Pairlove, the young lady who was engaged to the plaintiff. He took ofE the feminine weakness by fainting when coming into court, and then displayed that contempt for feminine modesty, which is becoming too general among our colonial girls, by her effrontery as a witness. Mr. Nolan, as Dr. Drugs, was thoroughly at home. He described himself as a member of the medical profession, by virtue of diplomas 2mrcJiased in the United States, as well as one which he got in Japan and which was written in hieroglyphics, that had a family resemblance to those mystic emblems over a Chinaman's store. He described the injuries that the plaintiff had received in the simple and easily understood style, peculiar to the medical profession, which could not fail to attract the attention of anyone reading the evidence at a coroner's inquest. The simplest organ was given a professional name, that caused the doctor's evidence to be handled tenderly by the counsel for both sides, and helped to raise the status of the witness in the eyes of every one in court, from the magistrate down. ° Mr. O'Sullivan was court orderly, and succeeded in imitating the member of the " foorce,' 1 by shouting " silence" at intervals of a few minutes, and thereby creating the very opposite of what he was supposed to preserve. Mr. Hall and Mr. Hoban took some minor characters pretty fairly. The " case" was productive of a good deal of fun, and was enjoyed by the members. In consequence of the success attending this it has been determined to bring forward another at some future time' to which the public will be admitted. ' Some candidates were nominated for admission to the Society and some others balloted for, who were proposed at previous meetings! The Literary Society held its usual weekly meeting on Monday evening, February 5. The secretary read a letter from the Eev. Father O'Donnell, late spiritual director, in reply to a resolution passed by the Society some time since regretting his removal from amongst them. He thanked the members very much for their kind wishes for his we'faie, whilst on his part he would remember with pleasure his connection with the Canterbury Catholic Literary Society, at the same time believing his removal, instead of being a loss, would be a gain in the appointment of his successor. Some members proposed at the previous meeting were balloted for and admitted, and some others nominated for next meeting. The president drew the attention of the Society to the irregular attendance of some of the members, and commented on the reprehensible conduct of m^W~ rs who P romise contributiooij'towards the evening's entertainme * and afterwards do not keep their appointment, nor send an apology, thereby preventing the council from making arrangements for some other item to fill up the programme. An animated discussion took place on a resolution proposed by Mr. Oakes, to the effect that the council take steps for applying to the parish priest for the use of 8c Patrick's Hall on nights devoted to music and lectures, and also that members be allowed to invite their friends. After several amendments being negatived the resolution was finally adopted by a large majority. In consequence of the lateness of the hour the programme, which was to consist of papers and readings, had to be post-

SS??ii Darin S the debate on resolution concerning the asking of I mSnf ny**** the fact that the Society had *ot iSKJ^y^i?* I* 8 ow ? # A membßr thought that the Catholics EjSLn? •d * baU ere the * would be able tS hold all their entern?? m o £2 ! ?° n ± d tte& } a company for the choice of either of two sites, and afterwards take shares in such an undertaking to