GOLDEN WEDDING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20573, 5 June 1941, Page 6

GOLDEN WEDDING

MR. AND MRS. F. MORICE EARLY BAY SETTLERS Two early settlers of the Gisborne district, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Morice, 121 Fox street, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Tuesday with a small gathering)of near relatives at their home.

Both have vivid memories of the difficulties of farming in the district before the roading system was developed, and have seen many changes as the population grew in the past 60 years. They were married in Gisborne on June 3, 1891, by the Rev. R. M. Ryburn. Mr. Morice was born in Elgin, Murrayshire, Scotland, in 1855, arid came to New Zealand at the age of 20) Ho stayed in Hawke’s Bay for a yeari, arid came to Gisborne towards the dnd of 1875. He and his two brother's took up Te Aroha station, Pehiri. In all he spent 31 years on Te Aroha, seVbral years on a holdirig at Matawhero, and 30 years at Whakapunake, Tiniroto. He has been living in retirementfor the past four years. Mrs. Morice was born in Bombay, India, apd came to the Dominion 56 : years ago with her mother and father, the late Mr. H. D. Dods, who settled at Linburn station, Waimata Valley. There were four sons and three daughters in the family, but owing tb accident with a boat two years ago their theird son, Mr. David Gordori Morice, lost his life. The other sons are Mr. Harry Morice, Whakapunake, Mr. James Morice, Whakatane, and Mr. Donald Morice, who is serving with the overseas forces. The three daughters are Mrs. Hugh St. Leger, Tiniroto, Miss Helen Morice, Gisborne, and Miss Stella Morice, Wellington. There are two grandchildren, the children of Mr. and Mrs. J. Morice.