SIR THOMAS MACKENZIE RETURNING TO NEW ZEALAND.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14041, 26 April 1920, Page 8

SIR THOMAS MACKENZIE RETURNING TO NEW ZEALAND.

(Editor of the London Financier.) When lunching with Queensland's new Agent-General, the Hon.-J. McEwan Hunter, at the British Empire Club, I had the pleasure of a brief cliat with the Hon. Sir Thomas' Mackenzie who" was entertaining his old friend; Mr H. L. Riseley, one of Bristol's best-known commercial men, who has been prominently identified with the movement for .promoting direct trade" between that port and the British dominions. Sir Thomas informed me that he was* retiring from the High Commissionerjhip of New Zealand and would I be leaving London for the Dominion in August. His departure will be very I keenly regretted. During his eight years of office he has been the life and soul of New Zealand in this country. He has worked hard' to promote the best interests/of the Dominion, of which he has been Prime Minister, has ■ travelled extensively over the United Kingdom and delivered innumerable addresses, and has been instrumental in making the resources of the countryi more known among all classes of the community. His pf-uiotic work during the war will ever bo remembered. He made the welfare and comfort of the men of the New Zealand contingent his special study, and his care for the sick and wounded has earned for him imperishable fame. His own son, Clutka, it will be remembered, was blinded in the war, and this sad affliction brought home to him with pa- ] thetic intensity the sufferings of i others, which he &tio\e haid to alle\i- ] ate bv possible means For a time he took up his losidencc at Wal-toii-on-Thames, uheie the New Zea- ' land Hospital was established, and with L.idj and the Misses Mackenzie was almost in daily attendance, ministiling to the leerunements ot the patients In political, common uil and financial I cucles heie he has made a hi„st of i friends, and the expenence uc' lias gained dining his te.m oi office which has been extended again aim ag<i«n uu bnci periods, cannot fail to be oi the utmost value to him should he lctuin to political lite The produce-is or the Dominion and dip the people who count, luir had no gieatei (hampion oi then nitoiests in the Mother Countiy, and Ihe \alued venues ( Sir Thomas ha>- lcndcied to New Zealand geiiciciliA will cnsui" foi lum an enthusiastic reception iin his icturn til \nadopttd country In veew of the guevances of lmporteis in connection with the congestion at the dock&, and the cuhci-ms wlbch loue been knelled at the Poit of London Authority, it was a happy idea on the pa it or the directoiato of that bodv to invite the High Commissioneis and to pay a visit to the Victoria and Albeit Dock* on Fndax and judge lor themsebeo ol the present condition ot affairs and • tho lmpioveuiLiu-, that have be-n made to meet the evci -giowmg tiade ot the port It was explained hs Captain Hamilton Benn, on the part ol tho Poit of London Authoiitj. that the present time there were 800,000 tons ot meichandisc btored at the docks, as again*-! JUG 000 tons beioie the? war. That would not haw been possible but ioi the extensions, and m jegard to cold stoiage accomniodatron, that had been mu cited fiom about 800,000 caicas.es to a further 700,000 or 800,000 Lho only coiklumou to be diawn iioin tliib statement is th.it difficulty has been e Jvpenenct-cl in getting the piodurc <\v.i\ iiom the docks, w Inch onh goc« to bhow I that the suggested deep-watei wlwives | at (Jravc-cnd and Cauvey Island, which would bo in direct lail communication, em the one Mdr with the counties o)' Kent, bin rev and Sussex, auel on the othci with the Eastern Counties and tiio North of England, would be of tho gieate*t possible assistance in leheving the eon&tautly nicieasing traffic to the Port ot London Sir Thomas Mackenzie. High Commissioiu'i ioi New Zealand, m lecponding to the toast of the visitois. at the lun-hcmi without blaming the. Poit of London Anthoiity insisted that bomeone wa» lesponsible ior tho congestion of the meat supplies m this countiv. Large New Zealand meat were on the waj to tho United King- ■ doni, and tJiesrfwould create further ac- 1 cumulations. CleaiJy, J:he- co-Id storage« accomniodatron _in this country wta quite. Inadequate, "arid riometliing Nyould Ibarra zuea|, was tyoto to,

Sir Thomas was quite at ifj understand why the public p permitted "to enjoy ehcaper.niea| there were such ample suppltelj of the very low prices at whiclii sold by New Zealand to .the'M Government. The carrying .'ti? Zealand was suffering fei of the iihips being unable top: their cargoes, a. stato of Sir Thomas held was quite unfair.) Dominion. Tj • It 'is. not meat alone, that.'»• held up, but butter, cheese .anuj produce, and I would add ';iM manifestly' unfair to--the Bntisly that-they should be deprived oft portunitv of gbtainiiig this prouo reasonable, rates. The AustraM season is now commencing; oiw-ji go hard with the importers of a lian .and Tasmanian apples, if thj no relief in the congestion at the, during the next two or three-' m