OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 38, 14 February 1930, Page 10

OBITUARY

SIR T. MACKENZIE

FORMER HIGH COMMISSIONER

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, This Day. Sir Thomas Mackenzie died shortly after midnight, from • angina pectoris. Sir Thomas Mackenzie was in public life for more than -10 years, and filled offices ranking as high as Prime Minister of the Dominion, and its High Commissioner in London. The early part of his life was spent in Otago. He arrived there as a child from his native city, Edinburgh, where he was born on 10th March, 1854. After education in State schools he entered into business life, and was soon proprietor of a store at Balclutha. It was in 1887 that he was first returned to the House of Representatives, as member for Clutha, hence the name of "Clutha Mackenzie," which attached to him all through his Parliamentary career, and until his son Clutha, who had acquired it in baptism, came into public view. After sitting as member for Clutha until the dissolution of (J896, he went to London as commercial representative of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, and remained there for three years. On his return in 1890 he was again elected to the House, as member for Waihenio. In succeeding years a singular fcrm of ill-luck dogged his political footsteps, in that, in the re-distribution of seats three electorates which he successively represented in the South Island ceased to exist. Waihemo was wiped off the political map on the eve of the 1902 elections, but Sir Thomas found a seat at Waikouaiti. In 1908 Waikouaiti was also squeezed out, and Sir Thomas contested Taieri, and won it. In another re-casting of the constituencies Taieri also disappeared. Sir Thomas then turned his attention to the North Island, and displaced Mr. B. Dive from the Egmont seat, which was the last he held in the popular Chamber. CABINET CAREER. As to his politics, in the earlier part of his career, Sir Thomas was more or less of a free lance. For some years ho was more nearly connected with the Atkinson Party than any other, but his role in Parliament was usually that of critic of the party in power, and this position was especially emphasised in the periods of the Ballance and Seddon Ministries. When Sir Joseph Ward became Prime Minister in 190G, Sir Thomas gradually inclined moro and more towards the Government Party, and in 1908 he definitely identified himself with it. In January, 1909, he became a member of the Ward Ministry without salary, and took charge of the Departments of Industries and Commerce and Tourists and Health Resorts. In the following May ho took the portfolio of Agriculture, and on the resignation of Mr. A. W. Hogg from the Government he received full Cabinet rank. Sc matters stood until the General Election of 1911. When the Ward Government met Parliament early in 1912, a no-confidence motion was made by Mr. Massey. The division resulted in a tie—39 on each side—and the Speaker, Sir Arthur Guinness, gave his casting • vote in favour of the party in power. Parliament was then prorogued, and the Ward Ministry resigned. Sir Thomas Mackenzie was chosen by the Liberals as their new chief, and formed a Ministry in March. Parliament was called together for June, and to the motion for the Addrcss-in-Keply Mr. Massey moved an amendment of 110----confidence. Sir Thomas fought valiantly to the last, and went down with flying colours, the amendment being carried by 41 to 33, and thus ushering in tho long reign of the Reform Party. Almost immediately afterwards Sir Thomas resigned tho Egmont seat and received from his political opponents the appointment of High Commissioner, which he filled throughout the period of the Great War with high distinction, both as to the commercial side of his representation of the Dominion, and his attention to the needs of the Now Zealand soldiers at Home. After the conferment of his title of G.C.M.G. in 1920, and his return to New Zealand, he was appointed in 1921 a member of the Legislative Council. He was always proud of the fact that lie was never defeated at a Parliamentary election. LOCAL BODY SERVICE. Apart from Ids career in the larger public arena, Sir Thomas has" filled considerable space in New Zealand local affairs. After an apprenticeship to local body work in the shape of six years' membership, including two years as chairman of the Balclutha Borough Council, he was for four years Mayor of Roslyn, Dunedin. For a long time he was a member of tho Otago Education Board, and i'or some years its chairman, and he was a member of other local bodies. Missions outside New Zealand included representation of the colony at the centennial celebrations in Sydney in 1888, and the position of Trade .Commissioner for New Zealand in Great Britain in 1889. He was a member of the Tariff Royal Commission in 1894, and also of the Education Commission of 1901. Other positions held by him were those of a Governor of the New Zealand Institute, Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute, Follow of the Colonial Institute. CHAMPION OF SCENIC AFFAIRS. On the question of the scenic wealth and native bird life of New Zealand, especially in the Otago district, Sir Thomas was an enthusiast. For some years he was president of the Now Zealand Bird, Protection Society. He had a hobby for exploration, and had a better personal acquaintance with the fiord country and the inland lakes of Otago than any other public man. His chief work as an explorer was in the Milf ord Sounds district. In 1885 he explored the Tauhiki country, and in 1888 he traversed the wild Country between Milford Sound and the head of Lake Te Anau. Ho was associated with Quinton M'Kinnon when that gentleman discovered the pass into that region. In the same year ho had charge of the relief party that searched the Matterhorn for Professor Mainwaring Brown, and discovered tho pass between Lake Manapouri and Hall's Arm. When Quinton M'Kinnon was lost in 1891, Mr. Mackenzie had charge of the expedition sent out to search for' him, and in 1594 further explorations between Manapouri and Dusky Sound resulted in three more passes being discovered. ""Both in and out of Parliament he did a great deal to advertise tho attractions of that part of the Dominion and urge their exploitation in the interests of the public. Another subject on which he spoke strongly in Parliament was the preservation of the natural fauna and' flora of tho country. Ho become a 'Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1898. Two of his sons, Drs. Kenneth and Bruce Mackenzie, are conspicuous members of the medical profession in Auckland, and anothor, Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, who lost his sight at Gallipoli in 1915, is director of tho Jubilee Institute for tho Blind at Auckland.