MACKENZIE, MACKAY JOHN SCOBIE (1845-1901) was born at Tain, in Ross-shire and was the son of Roderick Mackenzie and Mary Anne Scobie. He was brought up on the family estate of Criech, in Sutherlandshire (sold about 1900 to Andrew Carnegie). His father, a planter in British Guiana, died in 1850, and in 1852 Mackay was sent to John Watson's College, Edinburgh. He delighted in English, history and literature, but intensely disliked mathematics.

In 1860 he spent a year at Tain Academy, and then the mother and her family sailed in the Raglan for Australia to join the second son Kenneth on a small property on the Victoria-New South Wales border. Scobie found employment on a wild station in the Mallee country, at the junction of the Murray and Murrumbidgee, and in 1863 he became outstation shepherd at Swan Hill. He met the Burke and Wills expedition at the outset of their fatal expedition (1861), and later met the only survivor (King). He was sent with a large flock of sheep to cross Australia to Carpentaria, a journey which was expected to take two years. After travelling for several weeks he was overtaken by the bailiff and relieved of his charge, which was required to pay wages. Left with only a few horses and a little money, he made his way back to his station. Mackenzie met Adam Lindsay Gordon and Marcus Clarke, and himself had contributions accepted by the Argus and the Australasian, and continued to write more or less regularly for the rest of his life. He became overseer of P. Macarthur's station at Meningoort, in the western district of Victoria, where he remained until 1870, when he accepted an offer from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company to manage its Deepdell estate at Macraes, Otago.

In this post he had great success, and in 1875 he purchased the Kyeburn station in partnership with F. D. Rich, whom he afterwards bought out. He lived there 1875-84. For some years he was chairman of the Maniatoto county council. Though he had no political ambitions, he ventured in 1881 to oppose the re-election of de Lautour for Mt Ida, on the ground that as he had left the district he could not be really interested in its welfare. Believing that Mackenzie had been returned, the crowd carried him in triumph through the streets of Naseby, but a block vote which arrived during the night changed the position. Mackenzie won the seat in 1884 against J. Ewing (St Bathans), and in 1885 moved to Dunedin, taking up his residence at Grant's Braes. He supported the Stout-Vogel Government until its defeat in 1887. At the general election in that year he was opposed by Stout's brother-in-law. In 1890 he defeated Pyke by 100 votes.

At the next election, owing to an adjustment of boundaries, he found himself contesting the Waihemo seat against his old friend John McKenzie (q.v.). Mackenzie strongly criticised the Government's purchase of the Pomahaka estate in the electorate from a Government supporter at a price which he believed to be excessive. The Minister of Lands won, and the breach between the two Scots, never a personal one, was soon healed. In July 1894 Scobie contested the Tuapeka vacancy against Larnach. In 1896 he stood for the City of Dunedin, winning by a record majority of 1600 votes (with Millar and Fish as colleagues). Though at the following election his health was obviously unequal to the continued strain of politics, he yielded to a feeling of duty to oppose the Labour candidates, and was defeated by three Liberal-Labour aspirants. His political career was singularly brilliant and consistent. He was a strong freetrader. Though a believer in temperance, he opposed prohibition. He voted against female suffrage, but was at the top of the poll at the first election after it was carried. Elected in the first instance to support the Stout-Vogel combination, he was afterwards one of its strongest critics. He opposed Atkinson, too, when he proposed a protective tariff, but would have none of Liberal politics when Ballance came into office. Moderate and considerate to his opponents, he was absolutely fearless in enunciating his own principles, and never allowed personal friendships to compromise his convictions. He was extremely well read, and had a fine private library. Inspired by his early friendship with Marcus Clarke in the Australian back country, he sought honours in journalism, and until his death was a regular contributor to the Australasian.

Mackenzie married (1876), Jessy Adela (1850-1937), the only daughter of F. Dillon Bell (q.v.). He died on 15 Sep 1901.

G. & E. Macdonald (p); Reeves; Gisborne, Rulers; Otago Witness, 27 Aug, 3 Sep 1896; Evening Star, 15 Sep 1911; Otago Daily Times, 16 Sep 1901, 15 Sep 1921 (appreciation by W. Rolleston, 17 Sep). Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 17

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