THE CABINET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 713, 12 January 1910, Page 5

THE CABINET.

HON. T. MACKENZIE'S POSITION. "A BIT AHEAD OF IT." , (By TeleEraph.—Press .Associitlon.V.' -' . . Dunedin, January 11. ■ A reporter drew the Prime .'Minister** . v.vv;.' attention-to | a paragraph, in' .an Otagi newspaper, stating, "that - the Hon. Tlmis. ' Mackenzie is now a full-salaried Ministbt " of the Cabinet." Sir Joseph Ward statsd ■. that the. paper was a "bit ahead of it." • He added that some such arrangement OS: ' : that suggested : wasj under consideration, ;.S;> but pointed out that anything affecting . the personnel of the Cabinet had first receive, the . approval of the Governor. ."If you had asked me about - this, to-;.- . morrow;" said Sir Joseph, 'Tmigfit; liav« 5 been able to. give you more definito inj. ; i-\: formation." •. : 'X ' : Mr. Mackenzie was bora at J-'S\ in' 1851 v.Comine ; toVvNew: .Zealand. as <' a : V,v' - ■ child, he was eduoated at Otago • pubbo schools; and privately,; arid : in ■ 1887 -;wa« -i returned" tb>PaHiament < as v member for:k ; C ;. ; '0 Clutha.He; continued' to represent that;: OTnstituency..tiir.lß96,:landiSmoo; then ho'iv.:'-;-?--'.} has. sat,.as; member. from 1900 to 1902, and Waikouaiti from ISO 2 till f.J3 1908.; ■ At the last :electionhewas, ■ro-* : , ;. '' ; ' turned for Taieri .against ;to.Y/;J.';vT.'';r:-;t/:':''S Johnson by 'a majority of 'over 500 votos. . •. Until two years ago Mr. Mackenzie had •. ";iri a the' reputation of a fearless free-lance in ■■■■*: the House, ' but subsequently, 1 he publicly • M : J announced that' he;;,had ! : decided, to''join the; Government' camp. His reason | for.V the decision, was thnt-it.wasitiirie; m.-liia , ;"■'■iSiSf opinion, for' moderate men; toYstan<l ; .t^Xj7 :, 'VS| gather to oppose tho demands of extrcm#' Socialism.'; Mr. /Mackenzie'; ii ill debater;, and, has been a very popular . J member of the House. When the Hon. : : ■ s ] W. P. Beeves resigned the -High Com- . '• •' missioriership, a proportion of raombera ■ of. the .Hoaee considered that.'Mr. Mao- ' J kenzie . would ; probably be Tasked to fill . : the vacancy.,?' On' the land question' Mr. Mackenzie is a strong freeholder. 'When: .the ,Ward ; Cabinet, was reconstructed in/ 1 " w..~ January, 1909, he was appointed to Min- |-; isterial rank, without salary, being mado- • • . .Minister for Agriculture. . Outside of Parliament, Mr.; Mackenzio ■ ■ has had a varied and important public", ; career;ln 18S9 Vhe - was appointedSq Government Commissioner:to inquire into , the conditions 'of the produce trado England.";. Again, from : 1896: till 1899. ho : |}>~::-. ; '?3 was in England, ;representinß: seyeralFc<V lonM. mercantile firms. Later.' on ' hia ' . knowledge of trade was valuable '.to :tim^if. : sfS as a member' of the Tariff Commission; 'i set up by the House of Eepresentativea i. .v-ji? in"18!^; : and. as. chairman of- tho- Eitcn'-' sion 'of , Commerce ; Committee. '. He haa'. :: : been for many years a member of ..tho Otago Education Board.He has also •* served-, on. tho ■ Otago High School Board -> i ■ .•/ of Governors; and.in 1901 hb was, a mem-,'.;'!,' ber of : tho New Zealand Education Com-- . . mission.' Among • other localpositions, • Mr. - Mackenzie has Berved the r publio aßfMayor .of/Boslyri,raridias the Otago Hospital and Chantablo Aid . • Boards and'. Hospital Trustees;' Ho waa appointed a Fellow of ;.the Colonral Inshtuto in,1886, [Mid a Governor of the Eoyal Imponal Institute m' 1897- In 1888 ' ' ' he:represented'Ncy- Zealand' at tlie Syd-'-ney CentenniSl celebrations.' &{'■f ' As an .explorer ;:Mr.' Mackenrie' : has a - : .. I '. worthy record.. As:early asilßßs ho mado pioneer journeys into tho Vild'.West.Otago i'-, district. : Ho, was.'associated • with Quin- l».- v;' v ton.M'Einnon when the latter discovered the well-known -M'Kinnon 'Pass, and. in.. i.Uv '. 1888 he had ' charge ;of : a relief party that ; ..:':;'.;' searched,., the Matterhorn.- Professor ;• : v Mainwaring Brown, and discovered the; pass between Lake Manapouri and Hall J s , - Three passes were discovered by him later between Lake Manaponri ana Dusky Sound.: In ,1898; ho.'was 1 made a i Follow, of ; the Eoyal Geographical So- • ciety.; Land-surveyiiig : :arid; bush-farming' have, also :been:: among, Mr.::,Mackenzip's many interests. ■ -v ' ,'. a • .!* ' <