THE MINISTEE OF LANDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 29, Issue 1522, 30 December 1898, Page 3

THE MINISTEE OF LANDS.

The • Star's Wellington correspondent writes under date of December 28:—" Last night's Post contains a leading article of a most; laudatory character to the Hon. John M'Kenzic, and strongly supporting his visit to the Mother Country. It says :—' Whatever may be his faults, and this journal ha» never attempted to cover them, there can be no question of the great aud distinguished service he has rendered to the cause of land reform in this country in the face of extra* ordinary difficulties. He has placed on the Statute Book and induced the electorate to accept it, the principle that monopoly of country lands in populous districts cannot be sustained.' Further on it says: 'For eight years he has laltoured unceasingly for the State, and it would be idle to deny that the State has greatly gained by his exertions. It is well known that the lion, geutleniau has long desired to visit liu native land, and if by cluing so his health could be restored, and his resignation of office avoided, the people of the colony would, we feel sure, be glad to see him go as a Minister of the Crown. Even a stay of a few weeks would bring him into touch with the lead in jr public mon associated with our affairs, and that must prove an experience that would redound to the best interest* of the colony. As we have said, the Hon. John M'Kenzie has earned the right by reason of his public services to visit the Old Couutry as a Minister of the Crown, but, apart from that aspect of the question, it would be a churlish thing, even on the part of his opponents to do other than approve of his going, when it is considered that the long sea voyage, the complete rest, and a sight once more of his native hills are the best possible medicine for the impaired health that in the years when it was robust he gave ungrudgingly to his adopted country, fur whatever his failings the Minister of Lands has not only been a daring lanfl reformer but an untiring and continuous worker, and the official income he has received for his services has been very hardly earned.'" We (Star) understand that the Hon. Mr M'Kenzie, accompanied by Mrs M'Kenzie. will leave for England immediately after the close of the financial year—probably by the April direct steamer—so as to get th« benefit of the sea trip- Mr M'Kenzie will return to the colony uliout September, and his future intentions politically will depend on his then state of health. It is an open secret that his medical attendant insisted on his having complete rest for a while, and, as was stated editorally in our columns a few weeks ago, Mr M'Kenzie had determined to resign from the Cabinet, but et the solicitation of thn Premier ho consented to go Home as a Minister, in order to set whether ho would recover by rest and a leugthened sea trip.