DEATH OF SIR JOHN M’KENZIE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12573, 7 August 1901, Page 5

DEATH OF SIR JOHN M’KENZIE.

[Feom Our SrEciAii Cokkespondent.] WELLINGTON, August 6. Sir John. M'Kenzie died peaceably at half-past, seven ibis evening. Many membrs will attend the funeral. Though no intimation' is to hand at present, it is presumed that the funeral will take place at Heathfiekl on Friday. THE DEATH OP THE GREAT LANDS MINISTER. HOW THE NEWS' WAS RECEIVED IN PARLIAMENT. AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE. [From Our Correspondent.] ' WELLINGTON, August 6. After the 'afternoon spent in discussing ■the Unimproved Value, members went to dinner, knowing perfectly well that they had simply killed'time to' enable them to get the news of the Auckland vote. And' there was another thing which 1 all thought of and no one mentioned. It was 1 the eick bed 1 of the great Lands Minister. All day men hadi been talking with bated breath of the strong frame laid low and the earnest ready to be released by going “ Across the bar.” Ail felt the end to be near; none spoke of it in anyway. After dinner the discussion went-on listless l in the shadow of the inevitable. Most of us had .known the big,' strong man, seen him swing his ■claymore, marked the earnestness ox him, watched the enduring vigour that equalled all demands. We- could see him now bravely waiting for the summons with all his people about'him, the faithful, wife who had begun life in those, valleys with him in the ■ days of their youth bending in broken sorrow over the noble-hearted form. Speaker followed speaker nevertheless, till Mr - Willis had made a defence of the Bill. Then the Premier was seen to crass the floor to Captain Russell’s seat, bend over the Opposition leader and pause. In the pause the other nodded as an Englishman nods when 1 he intimates that he knows things are serious and you can rely on him. The Premier crossed back fo his seat, and Mr Hall-Jones got up to move tlie adjournment of the debate. No one said a word. Th© deep voice of Mr Speaker put the question, after him reverent murmurs of “Aye,” and when he spoke again a wild “ No ” broke across the 'current of reverence, and many cried “Hush” in rebuke, the “No” suddenly' becoming conscious. Then the Premier, his. voice advancing into the. action of his task like a brave man beset by difficulties divining his way by .sheer force of will in spite of collapsing muscles. Very low was the voice, very musical, very unsteady, and slowly the man who fought so often in that place by the side of friend and colleague addressed himself to the task of announcing the death of that friend and colleague. He used not his own l words, but the words of the dead man’s child, reading from a telegram, “Father passed away at 7.30. His end was peace.” He never told the name nor mentioned the place. Too full he was for details, and besides, everyone knew who “ father ” was and who it was that spoke of him. A deep hush fell on' the House and’ the; galleries.. Presently the Premier’s voice rose, weak with the depressing effect of these tidings, and announced that later on the right things would' be said and done “for our late comrade.” The voice fell softly over the words and the broken echo of it sounded in every heart there present. After that, silence in the empty 7 Chamber. ~ [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 6. When the! House meets at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow the Premier will move a motion of condolence in connection with the death Of Sir John M’Kenzie and propose the adjournment of the House, probably until the following Tuesday, to enable members to attend th© funeral. The following members have signified their intention of paying their last respects to their old comrade:—The Premier a t nd all the Ministers, Messrs. E. G. Allen, 'j. Allen, Arnold, Barclay, Bonnet, Buddo, Garncross, Colvin, Collins, A. L. D. Fraser, Fisher, W. Fraser, ; Hogg, Hornsby, J. Hutcheson, R., M’Kenzie, Alillar, ,Morrison, Palmer, Parata, Pirani, Tanner, G. ■ W. Russell, G. J. . Smith, Stevens, Steward, Symes, R. Thompson, Willis, Hons W. Kelly, Harris, Twomey, Jenkinson and Bolt. This list will probably he largely added to to-morrow. ; ' / DUNEDIN, August 6. Sir John M’Kenzie, late Minister of Lands, died at 7.50 to-night. SIR JOHN iM’KEN'ZIE’S CAREER. The late Sir John M’Kenzie was born at Ardross, in. Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1858, and, camo to this' colony in 1861. The first : employment he obtained was in the service Of the late Sir John Jones on his runs in' Southern Shag Valley, named 'Goodwood and Puketapu. Sir John (then Mr [M’Kenzie) had been brought up on the farm of his father, who kept sheep ' and depended on the rearing of cattle and sheep for the suppe-rt of his family 7 . When Shag Valley was thrown, open for settlement Mr M’Kenzie had .a small farm lying on the southern side of the Valley. It was Whilst he was on.this farm that lie entered political life, having been elected in 1871 as a member of the . Provincial Council, defeating Mr John Douglas,, of Mount Royal, by nearly two to one. There had just been a severe contest between the late Mr’Macandrew and Mr Donald Reid for the, Superintendency of the Province. In Otago proper, Mr Reid received the larger number of votes, but in Southland (then recently reunited to Otago) Mr Macandrew’s majority turned the scale, and he was re-elected Superintendent. The majority of the , Provincial Councillors, however, were, on Mr Reid’s, side, and Mr M’Kenzie entered the Council as a supporter of Mr Reid. The great question that then separated parties was tine land question. It was thought and said that Mr Macandrew unduly favoured the runholders. Mr Reid was the champion of the sm'all settler and for opening the runs. On this question—the more active promotion of settlement—Mr M’Kenzia was very pronounced. There .had been much agitation about the opening of runs in 1869, an Act milled the “Hundreds Regulation Act having been passed in that year. The majority of the Provincial Council refused to bring that measure into operation, for it was said at the time that the Act gave to the innholders new terns that were inimical to settlement. After a session or two Mr (now Sir) Robert Stout entered the Provincial Council, and Mr Donald Reid, Mr Stout, Mr M’Kenzie, and others were all on one side. Mr M’Kenzie was even then a friend of several years of Mr Stout, and on account of the similarity of their views on the land question there, grew,up,,between the two. men a strong political alliance which subsisted for a great many years. In the Provincial Council Mr 1 M’Kenzie was one of what .was called the country party,, and gene-, rally., voted with'- Mr Reid, though he disapproved of the coalition which the latter formed with the late Mr George -Turnbull. The General Election for the House of Representatives took place on Dec. 9,1881, and! at this election Mr M’Kenzie was returned for Moer'aki, which included part of. the present Waihemo electorate, and

for that seat he. sat continuously,; until his resignation, on July 16, 1900. In i the first two Parliaments in which he sat he was a member of the Opposition, though be gave cordial superb to several amendments carried by 'the Hon.W. RoUestb'nia ■ f the Land Act. Mr Relies ton, it will ba remembered, was the first 'to place, on the Statute. Book a system 0.. perpetual leasing with periodical revaluation, but the scheme, - as a system of leasing, was marred by having a right of purchase at the end of a certain number of years. In 1886 there was a dissolution, and in the new House Sir Robert- (still Mr): Stout became Premier and the late Mr Ballance Minister of Lands,'Mr r M’Kenzie becoming senior Government whip. The Ministry was a Coalition Caoinot, Mr M’Kenzie representing. the''Stout- . ■ Baliance-Buckley-Tole side, whilst the Hon (then Mr) ,W. C. Walker, now Minister 1 of t£Education, who was then looked.upon as a Conservative, wats junior whip and represented the Vogel-Richardsoh-Larnach.- side. Until the defeat of this Ministry in 1887 Mr M’Kenzie remained senior -whip, and wa* an efficien t and popular one’. In 1885 a netr Land Act was passed, and Mr M’Kenai# was again found cordially supporting th« combined views' of Messrs Stout. Ballance and Rolleston. From 1887 till 1891 Mr 1 M’Kenzio. was in opposition: ■ When. ? Ballance ] Adminisiration was formed. . in the last-mentioned year Mr M’Kenzio was made Minister of ■ Lands, and-. „■ if is well - known that - it was " at Sir Robert Stout’s special desire that Mr •• Ballance designated his old-time colleague ■ and friend for that especial portfolio. In t 1890, ■ during-the maritime strike, ’ neither ; Mr M’Kenzie nor Mr Sodden. had openly sided "with the strikers; indeed, it was generally believed! at the' time that Mr M’Kenzio’e sympathies were rather against tho Unionists, The Hon W. P. Reeves was,. • however, included in’-; the , Ministry, as his pamphlet on " ' Socialism had made him popular with. ’ the Trade Unions. Mr M’Kenzie passed his - own Land Act in 1892, but from pressure ■ * from his own supporters ‘(the Hon W. O. Smith and others) fie abandoned the periodical revaluation, which was a cardinal feature ■■. in the perpetual lease system, and' adopted - the lease-in-perpetuity system, which has no •' revaluation. For doing so he was adversely • criticised by his friend Sir Robert Stout, • bub Mr M’Kenzie said he intended to Intro-’ ■ duce a Fair Rent Bill, in which he would ' have made provision for a system of revaluation. Bub up to the present no Fair Rent Bill has, been passed by the Legislature. Sir Robert Stout re-entered l the House in ■ 1893, and he was urged to join the Ministry as At torney-Gen'eral. He, however,, declined to do so, much to Mr M’Kenzie’s , chagrin.' The only, difference that Air M’Kemzie had ini the House with his friend was over the Pomahaka purchase. Sip ■ Robert Stout, whilst acquitting Mr M’Ken. ; zfe of having consciously made a bad bargain, said that this land would not be suitable for settlement. Mr M’Kenzie:.,. pushed on Bills for the compulsory purchase of estates for small or close settlement. A measure of this character had been introduced! by : the. Ministry. in T 886 ,: . T but had nob been passed, and it was not „ till 1895 that an efficient compulsory piea-i sure was placed' on the Statute Book. How,- . that system has worked is well known.. Alary of the estates purchased have been closely settled, 'and in. almost all of the pur-, chases there has been a great success, „ achieved. _ ■ : 'Vi With the furtherance of land set-' ilement and the.promotion of small, farmingthe name of John M’Kenzie will ever be intimately associated in the annals of This colony. ‘ Under his management the Department of Lands and Agriculture;, has greatly widened; , its functions.; The ; dairy • industry has ; sprung into life, •. and shows great development. Since he became Minister of Lands, Government In-' spectioh of Stock, a Veterinary Depart-. , ment, etc., have all been attended to, so that the Agricultural Department has now • become one of the most important under the Government. A new system of Laud Valuation, 'Experimental Fauns,, etc.,, have : '. all had - him as their author. Through practice, 1 he became a vigorous debater. 'He had aiv excellent- memory, and though his language betrayed the land of,.his birth, he was not an unpleasihg speaker, though liis onslaughts were often more- vigorous than convincing. He was ever a popular member, for his. kindness of heart was proverbial. He aad all the virtues of the Celtic character that distinguish Ms northern countrymen, and for years after Mr [Ballance’s death he was the mainstay of the Ministry, s On many occasions his tact saved Ministers from defeat, i • ■■ ■ ■> Starting life ■with few educational advantages, his great mental ability and his assiduity enabled him to overcome his defective education. Dr fact, through political life he educated himself. -He read considerably, and was well acquainted with - the history ; of the Highlands. When nob roused in; a political fight his- geniality-was ‘great, and . opponents and friends alike respected him. Like those of his sturdy race, once '' he made ■ ■ friends he kept them., and perhaps he was not . so ready as some to forget past fights. -He was not, however, revengeful- He -qppre- ■ dated touch A kindly ’word from an old opponent. He whs very determined, and would not submit to dictation, from anyone . in his .Department. Everyone in Welling-, ton knew that M-n his own department huh word was law, and that the Premier dared. -. 7 not interfere with him. It is said that) - when Mr Ballance was alive Mxi Seddoh V complained to hint that some step Mr d. M’Kenzie was taking would injure the ■. Ministry.- Mr Ballance handed the telegram to Mr M’Kenzie, who told Mr Reddon in plain language to mind his own business, . Mr M’Kenzie . was; ’ masterful,, ” and no one was allowed to interfere with - either his Department or his measures. He,.-; never forget his old friends, though there . might be partial disagreements with them. His word was always to be.-taken.', for if he once passed' his word it would! be-keptr His less will be much felt, more than is * at present seen, for he had a hold on the : 7 affections of the small settler that no other member of the House has. He was trusted, for he was guided through his whole poll- ■ tical life by one aim-—the promotion, of small settlement. This is seen when it is remembered what he did before he got into tho Otago Provincial Council, and what he did afterwards in the General Assembly ' and as Minister of Lands. His laudable efforts for land settlement were not to . catch votes, but because he knew such was necessary for the progress and development of his adopted country. He did ; not take much: interest'in any political questions outside of those that concerned Land Settlement and 'Agriculturel On many subjects he was what would bo called Conservative. In fact, he was essentially the small farmer’s ' friend, and for them 1 and their interests he was ever found an active worker and a re- -.. liable supporter. It was this that gave him so much popularity in the country districts, not only of Otago and Canterbury, 'bub also of the North Island. Whatever Mr MKcni zio undertook he carried through, arid whatever broken promises might be laid at the , door of tho 'Ministry, nop® cam say, that he A; deceived them. _~, . „ ’ Many anecdotes might be told of his de-: . termination. Here is one that tho late Rev Dr Stuart used to tell.” He. said that lie: - wad visiting Goodwood, and Mr M’Kenzie,'. , then, a; shepherd, -called oin himi; aud him .if he could baptise one of his cMldrenj,;' then a baby. Dr Stuart replied “ l>ut added: “law leaving to-morrow morn- ' ing. Unless you, can bring the child early lam /afraid I cannot.” “At what hour?’? asked Mr M’Keuzte. -Dr Stxvarb mentioned 1 1; seven o’clock. “The child will be. th<*re, ? ’ said 2D MTCebzie; and (said Dr Stuarfe J when telling the, story), “ sure enough Mf j M’Kenzio was therein, the morning, before, _