THE HON. THOS. MACKENZIE AND THE HOMELAND.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 8

THE HON. THOS. MACKENZIE AND THE HOMELAND.

_Sir,—Speaking at: Cheviot recently the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie. said: —"Will ; anyone dare. to. state, to me that I would tolerate for a momerit 'tli©' appoiu.'tnieiit Jm. an \°® cer for corruption purposes?'? There is a self-righteous ring about this guery which at first almost repels criticism, but after , a little consideration-of tne matter I think; that I would like to oatechise Mr. Mackenzie ,in his turn. The following are .matters, that require elucidation from our voluble and unotubus Minister:— 1 •

■ 1. Will.Mr. Mackenzie "dare to.6tate" to me that the appointment of Dr. Mason at a salary approaching iiIOOO per year to inspect a few assisted emigrants is actuated by. what Mr. Mackenzie. calls "love of homeland?" These.pretty phrases are very, good in their way, but,as"Lord Lytton remarks in 'Taul Clifford," the Devil can quote Scripture, and a very good devil it sometimes is. •2. Will. Mr. Mackenzie dare to state to me that 1 the appointment, of Messrs. Doime and '• Hamer at high salaries in London-as soon as the'..Government were' compelled to abolish their New Zealand offices was the.-.result.'of. "love of homeland"? The. former of these men, by the way, worked, with a certain right honourable, gentleman, and was an old acquaintance of his, and, of course, wo: learnt at our mother's' knee that it is to the interest of the homeland that auld acquaintance should'nt bo forgot. ' 3. Will Mr. Mackenzie, dare to tell me that the love of'homeland caused the: upheaval in the Stamp Department and the appointment of a rclatiyo of a Minister to the control of that Department?. 4. Will Mr. Mackenzie dare to tell me that it was this noble semtiment of 'love of homeland" that led to the preservation of Mr. Smith's title's of Commissioner amongst our coloured brethren in the South Seas as soon as. his Commissioner- ' ship/in New Zealand had passed away? Its is almost, enough, to make one believe in the transmigration of offices: the.commissioner as .such has not been destroyed but translated to another sphere. 5. Finally, will Mr. Mackenzie tell us it 'was love of homeland and not love of office that caused him< to become a supporter of the present Government?Mr. Mackenzie, of course, would"like us to believe that he is'sacrificing himself' on the altar of his country. If so, let me toll him that I have bad some experience of British politics, and, there it is customary to write down to zero the pretensions of any politician who parades his political virtue. What w.e want in this Dominion' are men who will act straight and courageously,' and not merely talk piously, about love of homeland,—l am, etc.', . " ■■ ,™ Tnv ,T,

EGO SEMPER AUDITOR. March 8. ' ' ,