Thomas Burnett (New Zealand politician)

[10] Upon leaving school, Burnett worked on Mount Cook Station,[6] which he inherited on his father's death in 1927.

[7] In the 1919 election, he challenged Charles Talbot of the Liberal Party, the incumbent in the Temuka electorate.

[14] TD was an advocate of extensive tree planting on a bare landscape and there is an unusual and well-known inscription to that effect on the Burkes Pass monument.

In about 1918, Burnett had the memorial built with the wording “Ye who enter the portals of the Mackenzie to found homes, take the word of a child of the misty gorges and plant forest trees for your lives, so shall your mountain facings and river flats be preserved for your children’s children and for evermore – 1917.” A century later the creep of wilding pines from Mount Cook Station into the surrounding country would have brought no joy to him.

Here weary beasts shall drink for many a day, Here travellers shall rest beside the way, And think upon the man whose wise forethought Such lasting work of loving kindness wrought.

The coffin was moved by dray then manhandled to Rock Etam where the gravesite overlooks the majestic Tasman Valley.

[18] Thomas Burnett died on 30 November 1941, [19] survived by his wife, his son and his daughter Catriona.