November 13 Wednesday – In Christchurch, N.Z, at the Theatre Royal, the audience sang “For he’s a jolly good fellow” while waiting for Sam to come on stage. He arrived to cheers, stomps, and loud applause for several minutes. After the enthusiasm subsided he gave his No. 1 program of “At Home.”

It so happened that two new interviews were published by the rival Christchurch papers the day of the lecture — Lyttelton Times and The Press. In The Press interview, when asked of his impressions of Australasia, Sam’s answer reflected caution and understanding in light of his recent criticism of Paul Bourget’s too-cursory impressions of America in Outre Mer:

I am too close now to give any opinion. By and bye, when I get further off — when I get a perspective so to speak of the colonies, — then I can form some idea of the country [Shillingsburg, At Home 145].

Reviews of the lecture also ran on Nov. 14 in both papers.