8 ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁was ▁mayor ▁for ▁seven ▁of ▁the ▁years ▁between ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁justice ▁of ▁the ▁peace ▁for ▁the ▁Plant agen et ▁district ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁whole ▁state ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁ ▁McK en zie ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁at ▁the ▁tri enn ial ▁election ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁as ▁a ▁Minister ial ist ▁candidate . ▁He ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁tour ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁during ▁the ▁campaign ▁due ▁to ▁health ▁issues , ▁but ▁campaign ed ▁on ▁a ▁platform ▁of ▁a ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁property ▁qual ification ▁for ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁franch ise , ▁introdu cing ▁a ▁local ▁option ▁for ▁prohib ition ▁of ▁alco hol , ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁public ▁works ▁committee , ▁building ▁new ▁rail ways ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁and ▁reform ing ▁the ▁system ▁for ▁taking ▁up ▁land . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁at ▁its ▁formation ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁but ▁defect ed ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Country ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁He ▁supported ▁the ▁Minister ial ▁Country ▁Party ▁in ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁split ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁ ▁He ▁lived ▁in ▁ret irement ▁after ▁leaving ▁politics ▁and ▁was ▁pract ically ▁conf ined ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁due ▁to ▁ill ▁health ▁from ▁late