A QUARTER OF A CENTURY'S SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 227, 23 March 1912, Page 4

A QUARTER OF A CENTURY'S SERVICE.

I But for an, interval of three yea/rs, the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie hag. had a quarter of a century of Parliamentary experience. The gap in the continuity of his long j record was due to a visit to England, where his keen observation of the system under which New Zealand's staple products are marketed resulted in substantial advantages to the producers at this end. The policy of sending New Zealand officers of the Agricultural Department, experts in the dairying and the meat industries, Home to exercise a watchful care in the interests of the producer, has been thoroughly developed under Mr. Mackenzie's Ministerial control, with happy results in the way of ensuring mutual satisfaction and confidence between the New Zealand seller and the English buyer. Mr. Mackenzie's strong claim to support in the consideration of the leadership was undoubtedly based inainly upon his standing with the small farmers of New Zealand. Since his appointment as a Minister of the Crown he has lost no opportunity of getting personally into touch with the producers, and probably no Cabinet Minister has been able to get such a thorough insight into the ideals and the conditions of the farming class. As a parliamentarian, Mr. Mackenzie has been somewhat of a freelance. He Relieved for some years in a "cross bench" position, but ultimately recognised that the best and surest method of progression was a good working compromise with those whose opinions came nearest to his own. A hard hitter in debate and a most persistent questioner of Ministers when a private member, agriculture and education were his speciali-, ties. Mr. Mackenzie has for many years been a force in Parliament. He was born in Edinburgh in 1854, his education was obtained in Otago, and he entered Parliament as member for Clutha in 1887. Various changes of boundaries have caused alterations in the name of his electorate, Waihemo and Waikouaiti being represented by Mr. Mackenzie in succession. On his return from the Old Country in I®oo he was elected to represent Waihemo in the House of Representatives, succeeding Sir John Mackenzie, and at the general election in 1902 (Waihemo having been abolished) he Was returned as member for Waikouaiti, which he represented until its extinction in 1,908, when he was elected for Taieri. Then the Taieri electorate was abolished, and Mr. Mackenzie was returned last December for Egmont. Mr. Mackenzie is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He married in 1884 a daughter of the late CEarles Nantes, of Devonshire, and has a family of five sons and two daughters.