The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1902.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 7912, 9 June 1902, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1902.

Thebe was no political significance in Mr Barclay's address to the electors. Aggressive politics in New Zealand are as dead as Julius Csesar. Everything is proceeding as merrily as marriage 'bells and without that political friction which is reminiscent of the ungreased wheels of a wool wagon. People do not want politics, but good government, and, making allowances for human failings, and shutting one's eyes .to sundry impertectioos here and there which are common- to all acts of mankind, it is obvious that New Zealand is progressing without any grinding or humming of her managerial machinery. Political placidity has, Indeed, reached such a stage that .tta Hastings speech of Captain Russell (the leader of the Oyoosition) is represented by less than two inches of space in the Press of the colony outside his own district; whilst the financial thunderings of Mr Jas Allen (the other leader of the Opposition), abMilton, fell'on deaf ear*. or ■were communicated to minds who admired tie man rather than the manner. It was, however, lucky for Mr Barclay that peace came prior to the delivery of his ad. dress at the Choral Hall, for, by common consent, he was inducted amongst those asainst whom hostilities were suspended. Now that peace has been proclaimed all round, and everybody is pleased with everybody eflse and is in the best of humor, Ms Barclay has been embraced, kissed, and for given. The ordinary colonist is not ungenerous where there is room for leniency and would rather cheer than groan. Hence, in the fulness of their joy at the -blessed news of the cessation of hostilities —wbicl meant that the African lamb was lyinc down within the British lion—Mir Barclay': audience sang as a grace-bef ore meeting, thi anthem, "We'll Hang John Brown on ; Sour Apple Tree," with "Soldiers of th( Queen," variamiento, as.a special treat fo: their honored member. Rumor doth not tel us what Mr Barclay was doing meanwhile Mayhap he was conducting—conducting himself becomingly with a view to eventu alities. "It was thought," we are toH 'thai his meeting -might be a lively one.' But it was just nice. It was only plea santly lively, after the fashion of th "&eisha" or the "Belle of New York." Th< vrar has left a tired feeling, which demand: something light, recreative, and airy, an< Mr Barclay's audience turned on airs ac cordingly and transformed the occasion inti a free and easy improvisation of Pollard'; operatic performances, with the Learned pro fessor .as "the Novice" in "La Poupee.l' Th< preliminary steam having been blown of in an eminently melodious manner, the as semblage seemed to think it was Mr Bar clay's turn to celebrate something some how, and they, permitted him to make a fev connective remarks appropriate to their pro foundly sentimental vocal exhibitions, afe the fashion of Tuocadeno in -"Para Jones." It appears to have been a grea occasion, and we make bold to declare tha in no part of his Majesty's dominions wa the proclamation of peace more honorei than it was in the Choral Hall, where peac and pieces were delightfully intertwdnec Mr Barclay's Musico-Political Variety sym posium.