SIR T. PARKINSON IS KEEN ON POLITICS IN NEW ZEALAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18644, 22 December 1928, Page 11

SIR T. PARKINSON IS KEEN ON POLITICS IN NEW ZEALAND.

MAY BE CANDIDATE AT NEXT ELECTION. If it had not been for the fact that he had not been resident in the Dominion for a sufficiently long: period to qualify him as an elector, it is practically certain that Sir Thomas Parkinson, a Canterbury-born medical man, who has a distinguished record in his profession in the Old Country, would have been a candidate for the Lyttelton seat at the general election last month. Sir Thomas told a “ Star ” reporter yesterday that he was particularly keen on politics and would have been delighted if he could have been a candidate at the recent election. He had been closely associated with the Liberal Party in England for a great many years, and had been offered the party’s nomination for two seats, but could not see his way clear at the time to be a candidate. However, now that he has definitely retired from the practice of his profession, he hopes to enter politics either in New Zealand or in the Old Country. A DISTINGUISHED CAREER. Sir Thomas is a son of the late Mr T. 11. Parkinson, of Kaituna, and was born in 1863. He spent his early life on sheep and cattle stations in New Zealand, and in 1886 went to Edinburgh University, where he obtained his medical degrees. During his university career he passed with honours in anatomy, zoology, medicine and surgery. He practised his profession in Forfarshire and Sutherland until 1900, when he went to London, where he became physician to the Marchioness of Milford Haven and the late Prince Louis of Battenberg. During the war he was consulting physician to the American Hospital for English Soldiers and physician to the Lady L3'tton Military Hospital. He has travelled extensively through Australia, China, Japan, America and other countries. RETURNING TO OLD COUNTRY. Last September Sir Thomas arrived back in New Zealand, and since then he has travelled extensively throughout the Dominion. He will leave Auckland on January 19 for Sydney, en route to Cape Town, where he will meet Lady Parkinson, and they will then proceed overland to the north of Africa on their way back to England. Although he was not eligible to stand for Parliament last month, Sir Thomas may yet be a candidate for the New 7 Zealand House of Representatives. He stated yesterday that fiis future movements are still somewhat uncertain, but there is a possibility that he may return to New Zealand in time to be a candidate at the next election if it is held at the usual time. There was a possibility, however, that he might be a candidate at the British general election next year. IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND. When asked for his impressions of the Dominion Sir Thomas said that New Zealand had made enormous strides during the past twenty years or so, and the development of the motor transport sj'stems had been amazing. One could travel by service cars through the North Island in the greatest comfort, and in this respect New Zealand was as progressive as any country in the world. Another thing that had greatly impressed him was the wonderful development that had taken place in the Waikato district. When he was in the Waikato previously the land was considered to be almost valueless, but now it was the most magnificent country he had ever seen. He had also observed an enormous improvement in the physique of the sheep in the Dominion. There were no better lambs to be found anywhere in the world than those he had seen in his travels through the Dominion. “New Zealand has developed in the last twenty years probably more than any other country in the world,” he added. “This is largely due, I believe, to the fact that there has been stability of government here. The country has not been constantly chopping and changing about, and the fact that all the Governments have been in office for long periods has been a great advantage. There is no country under the sun which has such good credit in the London market as New Zealand has. I have heard that on all sides, especially since the statement made by* Mr Coates when in' London that no further money would be borrowed except for reproductive purposes.” CLOSER LAND SETTLEMENT. Closer land settlement is regarded by Sir Thomas as absolutely necessary for the further progress of the Dominion. He expressed the opinion that only good land should be opened up for settlement, as the big back-country properties were not suitable for cutting up. “ There is a great deal of first-class land, particularly in the North Island, which is going back into a wild state simply for lack of cultivation, and it should be acquired for closer settlement before it is too late,” he said. This should be done without delay, as every year this land was going back more, and if neglected for much longer it would be too late to do much good with it. During his absence from the Dominion Sir Thomas has been a close student of New Zealand affairs and has taken a particular interest in its politics.