Thomas Mackenzie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Thomas Mackenzie
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| 18th Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
| In office 28 March 1912 – 10 July 1912 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Governor | John Dickson-Poynder |
| Preceded by | Sir Joseph Ward |
| Succeeded by | William Massey |
| 23rd Minister of Lands | |
| In office 28 March 1912 – 10 July 1912 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Sir Joseph Ward |
| Succeeded by | William Massey |
| 14th Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 1 May 1909 – 10 July 1912 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Joseph Ward, Himself |
| Preceded by | Sir Joseph Ward |
| Succeeded by | William Massey |
| 4th Minister of Industries and Commerce | |
| In office 6 January 1909 – 10 July 1912 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Joseph Ward, Himself |
| Preceded by | James McGowan |
| Succeeded by | William Fraser |
| 3rd Commissioner of Forests | |
| In office 6 January 1909 – 10 July 1912 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Joseph Ward, Himself |
| Preceded by | Thomas Young Duncan |
| Succeeded by | Francis Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 March 1853 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 14 February 1930 (aged 76) Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Resting place | Dunedin Northern Cemetery |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse |
Ida Henrietta Nantes
(m. 1884; died 1926) |
| Children | 7, including Clutha |
Sir Thomas Mackenzie (born March 10, 1853, died February 14, 1930) was an important person in New Zealand's history. He was born in Scotland but moved to New Zealand as a child. He was a politician and an explorer. For a short time in 1912, he was the 18th prime minister of New Zealand. Later, he represented New Zealand in London as the High Commissioner.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Career in New Zealand
Thomas Mackenzie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1853. When he was four years old, his family moved to New Zealand in 1858. He went to school in Green Island and Dunedin.
After finishing school in his early teenage years, he worked for different businesses. At age 20, he started working as a surveyor, just like his brother. A surveyor measures and maps land. He worked for the government's Department of Lands and Survey in various places, including the Hutt Valley and Manawatu. Eventually, he returned to his home area in Dunedin.
In 1877, he bought a general store in Balclutha. He was very good at running the business. It grew successfully, and he sold it in 1886 for a good profit. He became well-known in the Balclutha area. From 1881 to 1887, he was elected to the Balclutha Borough Council. On September 24, 1884, he married Ida Henrietta Nantes. They had seven children together, five sons and two daughters.
Explorer and Discoverer
Thomas Mackenzie was also a famous explorer. He joined several expeditions to explore wild parts of New Zealand.
- In 1883, he explored the Tautuku Forest.
- In 1888, he explored the area between Milford Sound and Lake Te Anau. During this trip, he discovered the amazing Sutherland Falls.
- Also in 1888, he explored the Matterhorn Mountains. Here, he found a new pass between Lake Manapouri and Hall Arm.
- From 1894 to 1896, he was the first person to try to map a land route to Dusky Sound.
- In 1907, he crossed the land between Lake Te Anau and Lake Wakatipu.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Thomas Mackenzie began his political career by being elected to the New Zealand Parliament in 1887. He represented the Clutha area.
In 1896, he left Parliament for three years. He traveled to the United Kingdom to study how New Zealand products could be sold there. When he returned to New Zealand, he was elected to Parliament again. He represented different areas over the years, including Waihemo (1900–1902), Waikouaiti (1902–1908), Taieri (1908–1911), and Egmont (1911–1912). He never lost an election he ran in.
Besides his work in Parliament, Mackenzie was also the Mayor of Roslyn from 1901 to 1902. He also served on several important local boards for many years, like the Otago Education Board and the Otago Hospital Board.
Minister and Prime Minister
In January 1909, Thomas Mackenzie became a government minister. He was in charge of several departments, including Industries and Commerce, Tourism, Scenery Preservation, and State Forestry. He was part of the Cabinet, which is a group of top government advisors, under Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward. In May of the same year, he also became Minister of Agriculture.
In May 1912, Sir Joseph Ward stepped down as Prime Minister. Thomas Mackenzie was one of the people considered to take his place. After a long meeting, Mackenzie won a vote among his party members. He then became the Prime Minister of New Zealand. He also served as Minister of Lands in his own government.
Mackenzie's time as Prime Minister was very short. His government faced criticism from other politicians. Some said his ministers were new to politics or had forgotten their party's beliefs. In July 1912, his government lost a "vote of no confidence." This means that Parliament no longer supported his leadership. Some members of his own party stopped supporting him, and others changed their vote. Because of this, William Massey's Reform Party took power. Mackenzie then resigned as the leader of his party. He believed that the Liberal Party's ideas and changes had become so common that they would not be removed by the new government.
Diplomatic Work in London
After he was no longer Prime Minister, the new Prime Minister William Massey gave him an important job. Thomas Mackenzie was appointed as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom in London. He held this role until 1920.
His work was much busier than expected because World War I started. He represented New Zealand at peace conferences in 1919. He was also a member of important groups like the Dardanelles Commission and the Imperial War Graves Commission. Many historians believe his work as High Commissioner during the war was the most valuable part of his career.
Later Life and Conservation Efforts
In March 1921, he was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council for Otago. This was another important political role.
In 1923, he helped Val Sanderson create the Native Bird Protection Society. This group later became the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. Thomas Mackenzie was the society's first president. Many people believe that his biggest contribution was his strong support for protecting nature and wildlife in New Zealand.
Thomas Mackenzie passed away in Dunedin in 1930. He was buried in the Dunedin Northern Cemetery.
Honours and Recognition
Thomas Mackenzie received special honours for his service.
- In 1916, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).
- In June 1920, he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG). These titles meant he could use "Sir" before his name.
Family
Thomas Mackenzie's son, Clutha Mackenzie, was blinded during the Gallipoli campaign in World War I. Clutha later worked to help blind people. He also followed his father into politics and became a Member of Parliament for a short time. Thomas Mackenzie's brother, James Mackenzie, was the Surveyor-General of New Zealand from 1912 to 1914.
See also
