PRESIDENT OF SHOW

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29956, 18 October 1962, Page 20

PRESIDENT OF SHOW

The president of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association this year, Mr D. A. Morriss, has worked steadily and unobtrusively towards the success of the show for many years. Not one to seek prominence, Mr Morriss has been justly rewarded for his services by being elected to lead the association. Mr Morriss (centre) is shown in the photograph above with two other prominent show personalities at last year’s show. Mr W. C. Prosser (left) is the immediate past-president and Mr A. C. W. Mclntosh the senior vice-president Although he claims to have been “high-jacked” on to .the committee against his better judgment 16 years ago, he has continued as a member since. For 14 years be was member in charge of the light harness section, a position he relinquished on his election to the vice-presid-ency. Never an exhibitor in the show proper, Mr Morriss has been an enthusiastic supporter of the association’s root crop and green feed competitions held each autumn. Dairy farming is Mr Morriss’s chief farming interest, but he is also interested in sheep and cropping.

Mr Morriss was born at Waikuku, where Ms grandparents settled more than 100 years ago. His brother, Mr

C. L. Morriss, a steward in the cattle classes at the show, is still farming the original family property. Mr Morriss is a descendant of one of the pioneers, formerly Miss E. Stokes, who came out on one of the first four ships—the Randolph. His grandparents. Mr and Mrs W. Morriss, took up their property ait Waikuku before there were any roads serving the district. The periodic journey to Kaiapoi for supplies was an expedition of some note through bush. His grandfather was one of those who helped to build the early roads and his grandmother assisted with the construction of their first permanent home, a sod building, with walls two feet thick, that is still in use as a pert

of the larger house. Outside his farming and Agricultural and Pastoral Association activities, Mr Morriss has been keenly interested in lodge affairs. He is a past Grand Master of the Ashley district of the Manchester Unity. Independent Order of Oddfellows. Mrs Morriss is a sister to Mr A. Wyllie, who was president of the association two years ago. Her father, the late James Wyllie, and an uncle, the late Mr T. Wyllie, were also former presidents of the association. During the term of Mr A Wyllie as president a record of 2071 entries was received, a total which has been exceeded this year during the presidency of his brother-in-law.