THE MINISTER OF LANDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 29, Issue 1522, 31 December 1898, Page 3

THE MINISTER 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'Kenzie, and strongly supporting his visit to tbe 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 and distinguished service he has rendered to the cause of land reform in this country in the face of extraordinary difficulties. He has placed on the Statute Book and induced the electorate to accept it, the principle that monopoly of conntry lands in populous districts cannot be sustained.' Further on it says: 'For eight years he has laboured unceasingly for the State, and it would be idle to deny that the Stare has greatly gained by his exertions. It is well known that the lion, gentleman has long desired to visit his native land, and if by doing 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 leading public men associated with our affairs, ami that must prove an experience that would redound to the best interests of the colony. As we have said, the Hon. John M'Kenzie has earned the ricrht by reason of his public services to visit the Old Country us 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, whpn it is considered that the Ijong sea voyage, the complete rest, and a sight, once more of his native hills are the piest possible medicine for the impaired health that in the years when it was robust hegave ungrudgingly to his adopted country, his failings the Minister of Lands has not only been a daring laud reformer but an untiring and continuous worker, and the official income he has received for his services haa been very hardly earned.'" We (Star) understand that the Hon. Mr M'Kenzie, accompanied by Mrs M'Kenzie. will le-ive for England immediately after the close of the financial year—probably by the April direct steamer —so as to get the bem-fit of the sea trip. Mr M'Kenzie will return to the colony uliont September, and his future intentions politically will depend on his then state of' health. It is an open secret that his medical atteudant insisted on his huvini; complete rest for a whilo, and, as was stated editorally in our columns a few weeks ago, Mr M'Kenzie had determined to resign from the Cabiuet, but at tlie solicitation of tho Premier ho consented ,to go Home as a Minister, in order to so whether he would recover by.rest and a lengthened sea trip.