DAIRYING INDUSTRY FIRST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 114, 3 November 1911, Page 4

DAIRYING INDUSTRY FIRST.

Mr. T. MeKenzie, the "predatory" Minister who lias dared to seek the suffrage of the Egmont electors, is, in his specialty a thorough business knowledge and love of agriculture—absolutely invaluable to New Zealand and to Parliament. The defeat of Mr. MeKenzio at the 'elections, and his necessary retirement from the Ministry, would be a sad blow to agriculture. His position would have to be filled by a man who very possibly would not be, as Mr. MeKenzie is, au courant with the duties of his office and immensely enthusiastic and skilful in their performance. The point for the Egmont electors is that in voting for Mr. MeKenzie they vote for the industry that sustains them, for there is no man in Parliament (or out of it) who can help it more, and who wants to help it, than Mr. Dive's opponent. In this matter the party aspect might easily be allowed to disappear. It is merely a question of getting the best man. The "New Zealand Dairyman" is an Opposition journal, and it makes no political capital by advising the people of Egmont to vote for a Government man —Mr. MeKenzie. In dealing with the question of the Egmont seat it is forced to admit that there lias never been a Minister of Agriculture who so fully recognised the responsibilities of his office as the present Minister has done. The paper continues:

"Ho would not be content to be a mere figurehead; naturally a man of strong character, lie soon made his influence felt and put bis stamp on the administration of the Department. We have secured :tf last as Ministerial head of this Department the very man the position requires. What we arc now anxiously endeavoring to obtain is a continuity of Mr. McKenzie's regime. The electors of Egmont now have in their hands the opportunity to confer a lasting and substantial boon on the dairying industry and at the same time to help on in other respects tlio commercial progress of Taranaki. It is absurd to try to resurrect, the old dead bogey of parochialism. Tf cannot be truly said of the peojde of Taranaki that thev are afflicted with the narrow parochial feelings which have been attributed to them in some quarters. There was nothing parochial about the late Sir TTsirj-y Atkinson. ami he. wo maintain, was the representative of tin- true political spirit and temperament of Taranaki. The TTon. Tlios. Mackenzie is a man of the Dominion. and a man of world-wide experience, lie has made a great success of his own

affairs, and will quickly grasp the great possibilities of the Taranaki district. He will realise that the people of Taranaki will look to him to aid in the development of these possibilities, and he will know full well that in helping on the progress of Taranaki he is helping to advance the general welfare of the Dominion. We are much mistaken if the people nf Egmont. do not. as we do, decide to place the dairying industry first and allmv the question of general politics to take what place it may. We feel assured that the electors of Egmont have enough commercial instinct; to grasp the opportunity which the exigencies of the Representation Act has made possible and secure for their member the Minister for Agriculture." In fact, the dec-

tors nf Egmont have it in their power I to put Mr. McKenzie out of politics and j an inexpert man into tho Ministry, or j to retain his invaluable services to tho | country. They are sensible folk, and 1 the issue is safe in their hands. I