MR MACANDREW AT LAWRENCE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2499, 18 February 1871, Page 2

MR MACANDREW AT LAWRENCE.

To the Editor of the Evening Star..

Sir—Having been present at Mr Macaudrew’s meeting, held at the Athenaeum, Lawrence, last evening, I was agreeably surprised at the unmistakable evidences of cordial support which the influential and respectable majority of the audience firmly expressed; and, in a manner highly creditable, indicating “that, notwithstanding the gipss calumny which has been disseminated,” they had arrived at a just estimate of that gentleman’s ability and political worth, A stranger perusing the columns of the wouldbe ostentatious Tiiapeka Times can hardly fail to observe, without a peculiar literary nausea, the grossly malignant effusions with winch that obscure print teems. Notwithstanding the studied and untiring malevolent zeal of the Times, Mr Macandrew must rest satisfied that the great majority of the electors of this district will record their votes in bis favor, believing as they do that he has been grossly maligned by political buffoons, who shield their mercenary motives behind the blackened columns of a dummy advertising sheet. I was not a little surprised at the novel position in which the representative of the local press placed himself, occupying a prominent position in the political area in the triple capacity of reporter, editor, and electioneering wrangler. He seemed to be boiling wdth the idea that the very pillars of the State rested upon his Liliputian shoulders ; and judging from the bitterness in which he enveloped his illogical and highly irrelaveut questions, I immediately came to the conclusion that he must he the Soi discuit editor of our great literary Thunderer, and not the veritable printer’s d—l, which I think, would be more congenial to his temporment. I, with many others pivsent, who really hoped that they would receive a fair repoit of the proceedings, were, to say the least, disgusted with the unauthorised position hich this politically erring son of the “royal Fergus” usurped. However, as he has sounded his political, social, and editorial death-knell, 1 have him to wallow in the literary mire of his own political creation. Before - his reaches you, the columns of your contemporary will have set forth in a Vaudemouian blaze of mercenary delight the overwhelming opposition which Mr Macandrew received here. But, sir, your readers will be surprised to learn that, of the 300

people who attended the meeting, not more than 25 hands were held up in opposition, including some half-dozen of women am children, who protruded their attenuated extremities through the open windows, speaks very poorly for the self-styled important and so-called lleid stronghold when the principal interrogators _ of the Kent faction—irrespective of the diminutive member of the Fourth Estate to whom I have already referred were an itinerant ex-pohee-man, named Gapstick, and a local undertaker, whoso sable accents were huffilycharacteristic. In conclusion, sir, it is highly satisfactory that the intelligent and respectable portion of the inhabitants arc alive to tncir best interests, and seem to be fully determined to burst through the Himsy cloud of political calumny which the Times and its supporters endeavor to throw over the face of society. It evidently appears that the more they calumniate the promoters ot industry and healthy enterprise, in the person of Mr Macandrew, the better, as sue Ip tout means make, or I should say unwittingly create, a wholesome spirit of enquiry, which generally terminates in ’iterally a loathin ' against the foul medium which inculcated such unworthy political doctrines. It is essentially necessary to warn your numerous readers in this district of those undeniable facts which I. have hut feebly drawn. I trust, sir, that the electors (of the Province will prove true to their own best interests, and elect the only genuine advocate of advancement and material progress, who has honestly devoted fully the past quarter of a century to the welfare of the Province and the Colony at large. Upon this election depends the future prosperity of Otago ; and persons who suicidal ly vote in favor of Mr Reid should he politically and socially excommunicated, and condemned to live the remainder of their miserable existence in the slimy political lazaar-house, to be specially erected by the Reidite “cairns for the reception of those Provincial parasites who have evinc d such strong proclivities for destroying and polluting the stream of our constitutional rights. I fear that I have trespassed too much upon i our valuable columns, hut sir, the vital national interests of the day will sufficiently plead my excuse. I am, &c., Vox POPULI. Blue Spur, February 14.