James Mackenzie I.S.O., F.R.G.S 1849 - 1928
Obituary
The death occurred at Wellington, yesterday, 9 October 1928, of Mr James Stewart Mackenzie I.S.O. F.R.G.S. Born 79 years ago at Edinburgh, Mr Mackenzie was the son of David and Rebecca Mackenzie. The family came to New Zealand in 1858 on the “Robert Henderson”, arriving in Dunedin. He was educated at the Otago District Schools, and at the Dunedin High School, which institution he entered on its first day of opening.
In 1867 having determined on following up surveying as a profession, he commenced his experience in field life under the late Mr. John Cameron, an officer of the old Otago Provincial Government staff surveyors. His first work being to assist in the survey of Palmerston South. Mr Mackenzie had his share of the “rough and tumble” of early camp life in Otago, including two unusually rough survey expeditions to the West Coast of that province, which was then practically terra incognita.
The first of these was to Preservation Inlet, when the surveyor in charge, Mr Cameron, met his death through an accidental gunshot wound. The other was to Martin’s Bay, when an unsuccessful attempt was made to settle that part of the country under the Free Grant System.
The late Mr. Mackenzie qualified as a surveyor in 1871, and was appointed assistant surveyor of the Wellington Province in the following year, and district surveyor in 1874. His next promotion was to the position of chief draughtsman in Wellington in 1879.
At a time of great activity in the putting up and settling Crown leaseholds, Mr Mackenzie was appointed chief surveyor of Taranaki in 190 1. Other posts of the same kind followed at Auckland 1904 and Wellington 1908. He was made Surveyor General in 1911 and Under Secretary in 1913. He retired in 1915 in his 66th year.
The late Mr Mackenzie served on Representation Commission of 1902-08, Public Trust Board, the Government Insurance Board, the Land for Settlement and Native Land Purchase Board and the Advance to Settlers Board. In 1915 he was awarded the Imperial Service Order (I.S.O). He was Justice of the Peace and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
As a resident of Karori, he was interested in the public affairs of the community having been a member of the Borough Council. In school matters he took a lively interest, having been continuously Chairman of the local committee over a period of thirteen years. He was also prominent in connection with the proposed electric tramway, and acted as Chairman of the committee promoting the same.
He spent his spare time tree-planting and gardening. As they had a few acres of land round the home he did a little bit of amateur farming.
Mr Mackenzie was married twice. In 1876, he married Margaret McKenzie (daughter of Mr Thomas Wilmour McKenzie, of Wellington). They had two daughters: Hilda (Burnside) and Lillian (Gower) and one son David. Margaret died in 1884. In 1887, he married Annie Wilson, daughter of Mr F. J Wilson of Timaru. They had four daughters: Margaret (Brown), Katherine (Wells), Jean (Fisher) and Shelia, and two sons: Ronald and James.
Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who was Prime Minister of New Zealand and High Commissioner in London from 1912 to 1920, is a brother of the deceased.
Extract from Horowhenua Chronicle 10 August 1928 and NZET
Family Tree: David and Rebecca (Noble) Mackenzie