View source for Thomas Mackenzie

{{Short description|Prime minister of New Zealand in 1912}}
{{Other people|Thomas Mackenzie}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = Sir Thomas Mackenzie
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|GCMG|size=100%}}
| order               = 18th [[Prime Minister of New Zealand]]
| monarch             = [[George V]]
| governor            = [[John Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington|John Dickson-Poynder]]
| image               = Thomas Mackenzie.jpg
| term_start          = 28 March 1912
| term_end            = 10 July 1912
| predecessor         = [[Joseph Ward|Sir Joseph Ward]]
| successor           = [[William Massey]]
| order1              = 23rd [[Minister of Lands (New Zealand)|Minister of Lands]]
| term_start1         = 28 March 1912
| term_end1           = 10 July 1912
| primeminister1      = Himself
| predecessor1        = Sir Joseph Ward
| successor1          = [[William Massey]]
| order2              = 14th [[Minister of Agriculture (New Zealand)|Minister of Agriculture]]
| term_start2         = 1 May 1909
| term_end2           = 10 July 1912
| primeminister2      = Sir Joseph Ward, Himself
| predecessor2        = Sir Joseph Ward
| successor2          = [[William Massey]]
| order3              = 4th [[Minister of Industries and Commerce]]
| term_start3         = 6 January 1909
| term_end3           = 10 July 1912
| primeminister3      = Sir Joseph Ward, Himself
| predecessor3        = [[James McGowan (politician)|James McGowan]]
| successor3          = [[William Fraser (New Zealand politician, born 1840)|William Fraser]]
| order4              = 3rd [[Minister of Forestry (New Zealand)|Commissioner of Forests]]
| term_start4         = 6 January 1909
| term_end4           = 10 July 1912
| primeminister4      = Sir Joseph Ward, Himself
| predecessor4        = [[Thomas Young Duncan]]
| successor4          = [[Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)|Francis Bell]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1853|3|10|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1930|2|4|1853|3|10|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Dunedin]], New Zealand
| resting_place       = [[Dunedin Northern Cemetery]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Ida Henrietta Nantes|1884|1926|end=d.}}
| children            = 7
| relatives           = [[Clutha Mackenzie]] (son)
| party               = [[New Zealand Liberal Party|Liberal]]
}}
'''Sir Thomas Mackenzie''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|GCMG|size=100%}}  (10 March 1853 &ndash; 4 February 1930) was a New Zealand politician and explorer who briefly served as the 18th [[prime minister of New Zealand]] in 1912, and later served as [[List of High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom|New Zealand High Commissioner]] in London.

==Biography==
===Early life and career===
Mackenzie was born in [[Edinburgh]] in 1853. His family emigrated to New Zealand in 1858 when he was four and Mackenzie was educated at [[Green Island, New Zealand|Green Island]] School and at the Stone School, both in [[Dunedin]].<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie">{{DNZB|last=Brooking|first=Tom|id=3m18|title=Mackenzie, Thomas Noble 1853–1930|access-date=10 December 2011}}</ref> After ending his education in his early teens he worked for several years in commercial firms before, aged 20, following his brother James into [[surveying]]. He gained employment at the [[Department of Lands and Survey]] and worked in several locations including the [[Hutt Valley]], [[Rangitikei District|Rangitikei]] and [[Manawatū-Whanganui|Manawatu]] before finally returning to his home area in [[Dunedin]].<ref name=Hall>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/mackenzie-sir-thomas-gcmg |title=[[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]] |chapter=Mackenzie, Sir Thomas, G.C.M.G. |first=David Oswald William |last=Hall |publisher=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage|Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga]] | editor-first=A. H. |editor-last=McLintock |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock |year=1966 |access-date=21 March 2021 }}</ref>

In 1877 he purchased a general storekeeping business in [[Balclutha, New Zealand|Balclutha]]. He managed the business well and it developed well before he sold it in 1886 for a considerable profit. In the Balclutha area he became a well-known man and was accordingly elected a member of the Balclutha Borough Council from 1881 to 1887.<ref name=Hall/> During this period he married, on 24 September 1884, to Ida Henrietta Nantes with whom he had five sons and two daughters.<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/>

Mackenzie was also a notable explorer. He was a member of expeditions to the [[The Catlins|Tautuku Forest]] (1883), the wild country between [[Milford Sound]] and [[Lake Te Anau]] (1888; discovered the [[Sutherland Falls]]), and the [[Matterhorn Mountains]] (1888; discovered a pass between [[Lake Manapouri]] and [[Doubtful Sound|Hall Arm]]). He was the first person to try to map an overland route to [[Dusky Sound]] (1894&ndash;1896). He crossed the land between Lake Te Anau and [[Lake Wakatipu]] in 1907.<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/>

===Member of Parliament===
{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=[[Clutha (New Zealand electorate)|Clutha]]
 |party=Independent politician
 |start={{NZ election link year|1887}}
 |end=1890
 |term=10th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=Clutha
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1890}}
 |end=1893
 |term=11th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=Clutha
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1893}}
 |end=1896
 |term=12th
}}
{{NZ parlbox break}}
{{NZ parlbox
 | electorate =[[Waihemo (New Zealand electorate)|Waihemo]]
 | party =New Zealand Liberal Party
 | start ={{By-election link year|Waihemo|1900}}
 | end =1902
 | term =14th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=[[Waikouaiti (New Zealand electorate)|Waikouaiti]]
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1902}}
 |end=1905
 |term=15th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=Waikouaiti
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1905}}
 |end=1908
 |term=16th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=[[Taieri (New Zealand electorate)|Taieri]]
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1908}}
 |end=1911
 |term=17th
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |electorate=[[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Egmont]]
 |party=New Zealand Liberal Party
 |start={{NZ election link year|1911}}
 |end=1912
 |term=18th
}}
{{End}}
Mackenzie was elected to the [[New Zealand Parliament]] for [[Clutha (New Zealand electorate)|Clutha]] in 1887. He resigned in 1896 to assess the [[United Kingdom|British]] markets for New Zealand products and remained in his native land for three years. On his return to New Zealand he was elected to Parliament successively for [[Waihemo (New Zealand electorate)|Waihemo]] {{By-election link year|Waihemo|1900}}–1902, [[Waikouaiti (New Zealand electorate)|Waikouaiti]] 1902–1908, [[Taieri (New Zealand electorate)|Taieri]] 1908–1911 and [[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Egmont]] (in the North Island) 1911–1912, never losing an election he contested.<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/> In addition to parliamentary duties Mackenzie was Mayor of [[Roslyn, Dunedin|Roslyn]] from 1901 to 1902. Additionally he served for many years on the Otago Education Board, Otago High Schools' Board and the Otago Hospital Board.<ref name=Hall/>

===Minister and Prime Minister===
In January 1909 he was appointed [[Minister of Industries and Commerce]], [[Minister of Tourism (New Zealand)|Tourist and Health Resorts]], Scenery Preservation and [[Minister of Forestry (New Zealand)|State Forestry Departments]] in the government of [[Joseph Ward|Sir Joseph Ward]] with a seat in the Cabinet. In May the same year he also became [[Minister of Agriculture (New Zealand)|Minister of Agriculture]].{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=74}} In May 1912 Ward resigned as Prime Minister. Mackenzie was one of several names floated as possible successor and after a 10-hour caucus meeting on 22 March, presided over by Ward, Mackenzie won a ballot by the caucus 22 votes to 9 over [[George Laurenson]].{{sfn|Bassett|1993|p=209}} He also served as [[Minister of Lands (New Zealand)|Minister of Lands]] in his own government.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=75}}

Mackenzie's [[Ministry (government department)|Ministry]] was criticised by both the opposition and Liberal dissidents. Liberal MP [[Roderick McKenzie]] stated that Mackenzie's ministers were political novices who had forsaken their liberal principles and [[John A. Millar|John Millar]] should have been Ward's successor as Prime Minister.{{sfn|Bassett|1982|p=12-13}} The Mackenzie government survived only until July 1912 when he lost a [[vote of no confidence]] moved by the opposition. Two of Ward's Ministers withdrew their support and several members [[crossing the floor|crossed the floor]] to defeat the ministry and [[William Massey]]'s Reform Party came to power. Mackenzie then resigned as leader of the Liberals.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/political-parties/page-9 |title=[[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]] |last=Foster |first=John |chapter=Liberal Party |publisher=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage|Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga]] |editor-first=A. H. |editor-last=McLintock |editor-link=Alexander Hare McLintock |access-date= 15 December 2015 |year=1966 }}</ref> He did so believing the Liberal Party's policies and reforms had become too mainstream and entrenched for them to be abolished.<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/>

===Diplomatic career===
The new Prime Minister Massey appointed him to London as [[List of high commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom]]. He served in this role until 1920 during which time he carried an unexpectedly high workload due to the advent of [[World War I]]. He was New Zealand delegate at the peace conferences with Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey in 1919, a member of the [[Dardanelles Commission]] and the [[Imperial War Graves Commission]] (later the Commonwealth War Graves Commission).<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/> Historian David Hall wrote that his work as New Zealand's wartime High Commissioner was the most valuable period of his career.<ref name=Hall/>

===Later life and death===
In March 1921 he was appointed member of the [[New Zealand Legislative Council]] for [[Otago]].<ref name=Hall/>

In 1923 he supported [[Val Sanderson]] in establishing the Native Bird Protection Society (later the [[Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand]]) and was the society's first president.<ref>{{DNZB|last=Galbreath|first=Ross|id=4s4|title=Ernest Valentine Sanderson|access-date=27 September 2016}}</ref> New Zealand historian Tom Brooking wrote that Mackenzie's greatest contribution was his vigorous support of the cause of conservation in New Zealand.<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie"/>

Mackenzie died in Dunedin on 4 February 1930 of heart failure<ref name="DNZB Mackenzie" /> and was buried in the [[Dunedin Northern Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=87901&type=Burial |title=Cemeteries search |publisher=Dunedin City Council |access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref>

==Honours and recognition==
He was appointed [[Order of St Michael and St George|Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]] (KCMG) in the [[1916 New Year Honours]] (1 January 1916)<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=29423 |date=31 December 1915 |page=82 |supp=y }}</ref> and promoted to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) in June 1920.<ref>{{London Gazette |city=e |issue=13609 |date=29 June 1920 |page=1523 }}</ref>

==Family==
His son [[Clutha Mackenzie]] who was blinded at Gallipoli was active in work for the blind. He followed his father in also becoming, briefly, a Member of Parliament.<ref>{{DNZB|title=Mackenzie, Clutha Nantes |first=Penelope |last=Hansen |id=4m17 |accessdate=20 December 2014}}</ref> His brother James Mackenzie was [[Surveyor-General of New Zealand]] from 1912 to 1914.<ref name=Hall/>

==See also==
* [[Liberal Government of New Zealand]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last=Bassett |author-link=Michael Bassett |first= Michael |title=Three Party Politics in New Zealand 1911–1931 |year=1982 |publisher=Historical Publications |location=Auckland |isbn=0-86870-006-1 }}
*{{cite book |last=Bassett |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Bassett |title=Sir Joseph Ward: A Political Biography |publisher=Auckland University Press |location=Auckland |year=1993 }}
*{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=James Oakley |title=New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition=4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year=1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 }}
*Obituary, ''[[The Times]]'', 15 February 1930

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080717150615/http://www.primeminister.govt.nz/oldpms/1912mackenzie.html Page on Thomas Mackenzie at New Zealand Prime Minister Website]
*[http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/fiordland/western-fiordland/dusky-track/ Dusky Track, New Zealand]

{{S-start}}
{{S-gov}}
{{S-bef | before = [[Joseph Ward]] }}
{{S-ttl | title = [[Prime Minister of New Zealand]] | years=1912}}
{{S-aft | after = [[William Massey]] }}
|-
{{s-par | nz}}
{{s-bef | before = [[James William Thomson]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Clutha (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Clutha]] | years=1887&ndash;1896}}
{{s-aft | after = James William Thomson }}
{{s-bef | before = [[John McKenzie (New Zealand politician)|John McKenzie]]}}
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{{s-non | rows=2|reason=Constituency abolished }}
{{s-bef | before = [[Edmund Allen (politician)|Edmund Allen]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Waikouaiti (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Waikouaiti]] | years=1902&ndash;1908}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Donald Reid (politician born 1855)|Donald Reid]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Taieri (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Taieri]]|years=1908–1911}}
{{s-vac|reason=Constituence abolished, recreated in 2020|next=[[Ingrid Leary]]}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Bradshaw Dive]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Egmont (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Egmont]] | years=1911&ndash;1912}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Charles Wilkinson (New Zealand politician)|Charles Wilkinson]] }}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before= [[William Hall-Jones]] }}
{{s-ttl|title= [[List of high commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom]] |years=1912–1920}}
{{s-aft|after = [[James Allen (New Zealand politician)|James Allen]]}}
{{end}}

{{New Zealand prime ministers}}
{{NZ Liberal Party}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackenzie, Thomas}}
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