Roderick McKenzie
Encyclopedia
Roderick McKenzie was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament
for Buller
and Motueka
, in the South Island
.
between 1893 and 1896 and the MP for Motueka
from 1896 to 1914. He was Minister
of Public Works
and Mines
1909-1912.
Prior to his election to Parliament, McKenzie was an engineer and bridgebuilder. His projects included construction of the Westport
Staiths at a cost of 22,000 pounds, the railway bridge at Arahura
and he laid the rails to Hokitika.
Roderick McKenzie was a "strong supporter of the Seddon administration". However, in 1912 McKenzie would have nothing to do with Thomas Mackenzie
's (no relation) Liberal
Ministry
stating that: John Millar
should have been Prime Minister
, Mackenzie's ministers were political novices and had forsaken their liberal principles.
He was born in Ross shire, Scotland
and was educated at the Glasgow
Academy. He came to New Zealand in 1869 and was a member of the Westport Harbour Board, Nelson
Harbour Board and Kumara
Hospital Board. In 1932, when he was 80 years old, McKenzie contested the Motueka seat at the by-election following the death of George Black.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Buller
Buller (New Zealand electorate)
Buller is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972.-History:Early members for Buller were:*Eugene O'Conor from 1871 to 1875 and again from 1884 to 1893 *Joseph Henry from 1876 to 1879...
and Motueka
Motueka (New Zealand electorate)
Motueka is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. The electorate of Motueka and Massacre Bay, created for the New Zealand general election, 1853, was succeeded by the electorate of Motueka in the 1860-1861 election, and lasted until 1890...
, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
.
Member of Parliament
Roderick McKenzie was the MP for BullerBuller (New Zealand electorate)
Buller is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972.-History:Early members for Buller were:*Eugene O'Conor from 1871 to 1875 and again from 1884 to 1893 *Joseph Henry from 1876 to 1879...
between 1893 and 1896 and the MP for Motueka
Motueka (New Zealand electorate)
Motueka is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. The electorate of Motueka and Massacre Bay, created for the New Zealand general election, 1853, was succeeded by the electorate of Motueka in the 1860-1861 election, and lasted until 1890...
from 1896 to 1914. He was Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Public Works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
and Mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
1909-1912.
Prior to his election to Parliament, McKenzie was an engineer and bridgebuilder. His projects included construction of the Westport
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
Staiths at a cost of 22,000 pounds, the railway bridge at Arahura
Arahura
This is about the Maori canoe. For the ferry operating on the Interisland Line, see Arahura .Arahura, in Māori mythology , is a divine canoe which was made of pounamu...
and he laid the rails to Hokitika.
Roderick McKenzie was a "strong supporter of the Seddon administration". However, in 1912 McKenzie would have nothing to do with Thomas Mackenzie
Thomas Mackenzie
Sir Thomas Noble Mackenzie GCMG was a Scottish-born New Zealand politician and explorer who briefly served as the 18th Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1912, and later served as New Zealand High Commissioner in London....
's (no relation) Liberal
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
Ministry
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
stating that: John Millar
John A. Millar
John Andrew Millar was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party from Otago.Born in Jalandhar, India, he came to New Zealand in 1870...
should have been Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Mackenzie's ministers were political novices and had forsaken their liberal principles.
He was born in Ross shire, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and was educated at the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Academy. He came to New Zealand in 1869 and was a member of the Westport Harbour Board, Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
Harbour Board and Kumara
Kumara, New Zealand
Kumara is a town on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 30 kilometres south of Greymouth, close to the western end of State Highway 73, which leads across Arthur's Pass to Christchurch...
Hospital Board. In 1932, when he was 80 years old, McKenzie contested the Motueka seat at the by-election following the death of George Black.