"THE TRIAD" IN TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1533, 31 August 1912, Page 4

"THE TRIAD" IN TROUBLE.

RETRACTS AND PAYS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! Christchurch, August 30. A libel action, ill which, a considerable nmount of anticipatory interest has bcca shown, was lo liavo been, called on for hearing at the Supreme Court this morning before his Honour Mr. .lustier Denniston, tlio action boinu taken by Mr L..U. Booth (for whom Mr. Alpors, with mm, Mr. T. 11. Afurphy was to appear) against "The Triad" Limited, The claim was for ,£250, Sir .Tolm Findlny, K.C., was to liavo appeared for "Tho Triad." The witnesses, anil others interested ill the case, were informed, shortly after tho timo appointed for tho hearing, that tho ens; had been settled. Tho alleged libel, which was tho subject of 'tho action, was contained in the issue of "Tho Triad" of May 10, 1912, in an article criticising tho exhibition of pictures made by tho Canterbury Society of Arts last Easter. In tho courso of tho article, comment reflecting on a section of tho Hanging Committee of the Society was made which, in effect, appeared to suggest that tho section of tho committee referred to had been biased and partial in their judgments on tho pictures submitted for exhibition. The section of tho Hanging Committee referred to wcro indicated* by being described in the article as "tho littlo cliquo which managed to get on the council (of the Art Society) this year for the first timo," nnd, as Messrs. L. 11. Booth nnd C. F. Kelly were tlio only two now members of the council this year, they wero apparently indicated. Tho terms of tho settlement aro stated to be nil apology from defendant (in terms settled between Sir John Frndlay and Mr. Alpors) to bo published onco in tho "Press,' tho "Lyttcllon Times," and "Tho Triad," and the payment of 100 guineas in satisfaction of all costs. Tho apology, which has been accepted by plaintiff has been also approved and accepted by Mr. C. F. Kelly, nnd was submitted to and approved by Mr. William Re?co, (president of the Canterbury Society of Arts) before it was accepted. It is understood that the apology fully retracts every imputation upon tlio personal honour, and the impartiality of tho plaintiff, nnd every other member of tlio Hanging Committee, nnd includes the admission that tho statements complained of were "based on information which wns wholly erroneous."