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The Spike or Victoria University College Review 1932

Literary Club

Literary Club

As the inauguaral meeting of the Literary Society was held on 10th June, 1931, the Club has just completed the first year of its active existence. In that time we think it has successfully filled a gap in the round of student activities, and if it has as yet produced no literary masterpieces, has yet afforded new opportunities for self-expression. We are ambitious enough to hope that our Literary Society may yet produce a periodical worthy to take its place beside 'The Phoenix"—the successful product of Auckland's Literary Club.

Our year opened with the Annual General Meeting in March, when, after the election of officers, Mr. C. A. Marris gave us a short address on Australian and New Zealand writers. Next, heralded by the most blood-curdled poster, came Mr. J .R. Elliott, who read a paper on the popular theme of "Detective Fiction"—a paper, packed so tightly with wit and humour, that we felt like children at a party—unable to assimilate another good thing.

We have tried to make self-expression the aim of the Society and not merely listen to excellent papers from lecturers and outsiders. Accordingly the next three evenings were contributed by members of the Society. Mr. C. G. Watson read an amusing and learned paper on "Anti-Religious Poetry," Mr. R. J. Larkin on "Parodies"—illustrating his remarks by reading some most amusing examples—and Miss Peggy Macdonald, who gave us her impressions of, and contrasted as interpretors of Australia, Henry Handel Richardson and Katharine Susannah Prichard.

Another very popular effort of the Society was an evening spent at the Turnbull Library, listening to Mr. Johannes Anderson, and handling some of the books. We hope to conclude the year with a reception—in conjunction with the Dramatic Club—to Dame Sybil Thorndike, when she arrives in Wellington some time towards the end of November.

The next meeting of the Society will be held early in the third term, when original literary work will be read and discussed.