JOHN McKENZIE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4428, 7 August 1901, Page 4

JOHN McKENZIE.

Sir John McKenzie=-whose death we announce this morning with deep regret — was the greatest administrator of the public lands'ever seen in this colony, or any other of the Australasian group. Opinions may differ about his capacity in other directions, but about his successful management of his own department there has long been a unanimous consensus of view. And not alone among New Zealanders, for all Australian public meu who came hither specially to study his policy and his methods went away impressed alike with his merits and his achievements. Having long discerned his capacity, the late John Ballanco entrusted him at the outset of his Administration with the great Department of Lands, and John McKenzie, throwing the whole of his vast energy into the work, justified that confidence with a successful career such as has j

fallen to the lot of few public men to record. He was for ten years the life and soul of the Lands Department, and he was so by reaaop of the combination of great qualities which ho employed without stint in its service. Of these qualities, the greatest is perhaps difficult to pick out. But, on the whole, if we place his fidelity at the head of the combination, wo shall not be far wrong. He regarded the control of the public lands as a great trust. It was ever before him, filling his thoughts, dominating his actions, directing his whole course of political study, animating his whole life. Faithful and true, he thought of nothing but settling a large population on the lands of this colony, and fostering it into independence. How well he succeeded those are aware who saw the pains he took, and knew that his annual reviews of his work were to him each an abiding joy. Whenever he spoke of these, his eyes shone with the consciousness of duty well done.

Another of his great qualities was energy, of which he had an abundant store to back up his spirit of faithfulness. It never flagged in tho longest days, it carried him through the most protracted debates; no plan was too complicated for it; no difficulty was able to exhaust it. At the back of it was a masterful character, which absolutely refused to turn from any course to which its oWner had deliberately, for good and sufficient reasons, made up his mind. The public outside had occasional glimpses of that iron resolution, but the officers of the department know all the time that when John McKenzie said a thing, that thing had to be done. As a rule, it was done. Moreover, when it was done, tho result generally justified not only the energy and resolution of the Minister, but also his shrewdness and capacity. The first thing required of the new Minister of Lands when he took office was familiarity with the land laws, and before main session of Parliament in his first year (1891), he had made his already large knowledge perfect. The department know it; the Waste Lands Commit, toe felt it; the House acknowledged it. The next thing required was knowledge of the country, and long before the end of his career no man knew more of the various soils and climates of this colony than the late Minister of Lands; few, indeed, knew half so ranch. The third essential was a plan of settlement, and this ho provided comprehensively to suit the varying conditions of the country and the various wishes of its people, in that masterpiece, the Land Act of 1892. Few who saw Mr McKenzie at the committee table piloting that measure through its most critical stage have forgotten how they were impressed by his grasp of detail, his whole-souled devotion, his readiness of resource, his inflexible resolution. What that measure has done for New Zealand is written broad over green acres in thousands of holdings from Auckland to tlie Bluff. Able men had preceded him on this line, - certainly. But ho consolidated all that was good in their work, and it is his special distinction that he carried that work further and to higher levels than they had ever dreamt of.

But tie plan of settlement was incomplete. More land was wanted. The fourth requirement at the hands of the Minister was, therefore, more land. His plan was therefore made to comprehend the resumption policy, which is now attracting attention in every land where the aim of statesmanship is the settlement of population in those parts of the country best furnished hy nature and hy public expenditure for its maintenance and prosperity. Ultimately the compulsory principle had to bo adopted. The difficulties in the way were colossal. Property-owners naturally took alarm; many able men doubted the. ability of the State, in spite of the best intentions of the wisest politicians, to conduct the contemplated operations with justice; others seriously questioned its power to carry ■ thee© operations to commercial success in the face of the weakness of representative institutions. How these uifficulties were mastered is now matter of history. It is enough now to say that in inducing Parliament to accept his measure the Minister displayed conspicuous ability, and that in justifying the great experiment by his administration he worked with a shrewdness and business capacity in no way inferior to the ability which won the policy from the legislature. The way had been prepared by th© success of the resumption, with the consent of the owners, of the Cheviot estate; and now there are several such successes on an equally large scale which amply justify th 0 policy of compulsory resumption. It is not too much to say of the Lands Department that it is solving a great problem of settlement—a problem that for many years was regarded as insoluble, except hy drastic measures bordering on confiscation, without injustice to individuals, and without loss to the State. To keep faith with the proprietors and to settle their lands without costing the State a shilling—this is truly a result of tremendous and far-reaching significance. Th* labours entailed by the forming and application of these laws, great as they were, by no means exhausted the list of things required of the statesman whose loss New Zealand mourns. The settlers must be directed in their pursuits, and given access to markets. To that end, the Minister charged with the duty of settling a population on the land must have extensive topographical knowledge; he must know how the Governments of other countries are obtaining the advantage of the newest scientific methods for the competitors of our settlers in the markets of the world; he must Icarh the principles on which the State can advance moneys to the agriculturists with safety to itself and profit to them. With these requirements of his duty the Minister of Lands grappled with the whole-souled faithfulness, the energy and the masterfulness which made hum do thoroughly whatever he undertook. The results are to be seen in the great Agricultural Department he organised, th* local public works he had so largo a share in devising, and the financial department with which he was

so largely identified. The assistance of able colleagues he Had, of course; and in many things lie acknowledged freely his indebtedness to their initiative. But ha did his part in all these things, and did it well, with labour, industry, and perse* rerance almost incredible. That he spent himself without stint in these and all other matters connected with tho important and complicated departments under his charge is the truest thing that can be said of him. It is also, we feel sure, the thing ho would, could he be consulted, like beet to have said ot him.

That John McKenzie was in other respects a capable Minister, valuable in counsel-upon many of the points of tho varied and substantial record made by th ß Cabinets presided over in turn by his two celebrated chiefs - , is well and widely known. That ha had faults, chiefly, indeed entirely, the faults that belong to a strong nature, highly strung" by * thorough and most rare spirit of devotion to duty, is not denied by even his best friends. But this is not the time to speak of them, except in the spirit of palliation duo to his groat services and generous nature. That he was a great source of strength to the Government, of which he was so conspicuous a member, is equally admitted. That influence is still felt, though he has long been laid aside from active work by a painful malady, which the best skill in London alleviated, but could not cure. And now he is gdUe—the big-hearted man, the staunch, democrat, the inflexible and incorruptible administrator; but his name, and his good works, and the memory of toe flashing claymore he so well wielded in debate, will he treasured by the people of this, his adopted country. To Lady McKenzie and the other mourning relatives of the deceased we extend respectful condolences. Parliament will to-day give voice to the sentiments of profound sorrow and sympathy which, we feel certain, are felt throughout New. Zealand, without regard to class or party, for too loss of one who has died full of honours, hut not so ripe in years as could have been wished.