The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and Echo. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1899. THE HON. MR McKENZIE'S DEPARTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1899, Page 4

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and Echo.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1899. THE HON. MR McKENZIE'S DEPARTURE.

For the causo that lackß assistance, For the -wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that ne can do.

The Minister of Lands leaves Auckland by the Moana on Monday next to revisit the Old Country, which lie Las not seen for very many years. It fell to the lot of Wellington to tender the honorable gentleman a send-off in a manner befitting the occasion; and we feel sure that no other city could have been more

generous in expressions of admiration and good-will than were the representative men who met. to say tarewell to Mr McKenzie. In bearing testimony to the regard felt for the Minister of Lands the speakers at the Wellington meeting spoke for the colony as a whole, and anticipated most remarks we could make on the subject of his departure; but it is not unfitting that we should have: something to say on our own account even if it may be but an echo of what has already been said, considering that it is really from this city that Mr McKenzie bids a temporary goodbye of the land where he has lived so long and in whose interests he has laboured so assiduously.

On behalf of the whole community here in the north we wish Mr Mc-

Kenzie a prosperous journey home, a pleasant stay in the Old Land, and a safe return to New Zealand. We sincerely trust that the trip will do him a great deal of good, and that he will have many years of health and strength to live among us here. Perhaps the fact of these sentiments finding- expression in the press may give them a value they would not altogether have if they came from a public platform. For we need scarcely remind our readers that the newspapers of the colony and the Minister of' Lands have never been the best of friends. He has attacked them, orel they have attacked him, and there has been little love lost between them as a rule. We wish on this occasion, however, .to bxiry these diffei-enees and to remember the excellent service Mr McKenzie has. rendered to ihe colony; In spite .of the many disagreemtns there have been between the Minister and the newspapers, the latter have never been blind to the honest and enlightened land policy with which his name is associated. No. impartial person can fail to recognise what he has acminplished in the. way of settling the. people on the land; nor is there any question that the methods he adopted, though distasteful to some, have been the best for New Zealand. The cutting up of the land into, small sections, together with the adoption of systems of tenure which make it possible for a man to become a settler on the most advantageous terms to himself without the expenditure of very much capital are reforms too well known and appreciated to require.to be dwelt on here.

The primary objects of Mr McKenzie's visit to the Old Country are we understand, health and pleasure. On the ground' of both he is well entitled to the trip : no man more so. We hope, as we have already said, that he will lihd the first in abundance. As for the second we are sure that that too will not be absent. Not to speak of the kind reception which he has every right to expect will be accorded to him from the position he occupies here, there will be, we think, a still deeper satisfaction to the Hon. gentleman to go back to his native place in Scotland. Such a visit is bound to aroxise a host, of pleasant associations. What between visiting places and seeing friends the Minister of Lands will probably have his -time as full as is desirable for a man who has gone home to recruit. It would be a mistake, therefore, to suggest that'he should attempt business except of a very light kind. At the same time we 'do not imagine that a man of his experience, observation, and interest in New Zealand affairs will be . able to remain even a. .short, time at Home without picking up a good many things useful to the Colony, and impressing on the people of the Old Country, whether they have immediate trade relations with New Zealand or not, a deeper interest in Colonial affairs.