TELEGRAPH PIONEER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 16

TELEGRAPH PIONEER

mr. J. a. s. Mckenzie DEATH AT TAURANGA [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] TAURANCtA, Tuesday One of the few survivors of the original Nova Scotian settlers at Waipu, Mr. James Alexander Sutherland McKenzie, died to-day at the ago of 80. He arrived with his parents in the ship Breadalbane as a child of three. Mr. McKenzie had a fine record of pioneering service in the erection of telegraph lines in both the North and South Islands. He joined the Post and Telegraph Department at Auckland in 1877 and one of his tasks was the laying of a line to connect Hokianga, then an important timber port, with tho districts further south. Later he was responsible for the erection of lines from New Plymouth to Waitara, from Hokitika to Christchurch and from Wellington to the Hutt. A unique task carried out by Mr. McKenzie was the testing of insulators from Wellington to Rotorua, and thence to Opotiki. Over two years were spent in the task.* Mr. McKenzie retired in 1919 after 42 years with the department. In 1921 he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal for his long and meritorious service. Mr. McKenzie was keenly interested in acclimatisation work and was president of the Tauranga Acclimatisation Society for 40 years. He was a member of the Tauranga School Committee, president and a life-member of the Tauranga Bowling Club and a prominent member of the Masonic Order. He is survived by a daughter and four sons.