MAKERS OF OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21081, 18 July 1930, Page 10

MAKERS OF OTAGO.

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PIONEERS OF THE PROVINCE. Written for the Otago Daily Times. By Condor. XXVIII.—WILLIAM DICK MURISON, * 1837-1877. A lovable and esteemed figure sti early Otago, W. D. Muvison, died in Dunedin in 1877 at the early age of 40. William Dick Murison was born on February 24, 1837, at Alyth, Forfarshire, and got Ids education at the High School in Edinburgh. He came to Otago in 185 G in. the Strathmore, with Dr Hulme, and after spending two years in and about Dunedin took up a run in the Maniototo with his brother James. The easiest way to approach the property appeared to be .through the Shag Valley, so they spent some months opening up a road through which they could drive their bullock dray. In the spring of 1858 they were encamped at Swinburn, on the east side of the Maniototo Plain, and they established their homestead at the foot of Rough Ridge. The brothers went through many hardships in those years,, and also felt severely the hard times and financial depression, which forced them to give up their property. William had a penchant for public life, and was very popular, In 1803, when he was only 26 years of age, he was elected to the Pro-

vincial Council for the district of Manuherikia, which he represented for about 18 months. In 1864 he was a member of the executive for a short time. When he resigned in 1805 there was a rumour that he had done so to permit Francis Dillon Bell to be elected, and the electors resented the supposed arrangement by proposing Macpherson, who defeated Bell at the poll. Next year, 1866, Murison was elected to Parliament to represent the Waikouaiti district,.in which he had lived for some years, and he sat until resigning in 1868. Murison took such a keen interest in the public affairs of the province that his right place was obviously in Dunedin. He was one of the small hand who in 1865 promoted the holding of the Dunedin Exhibition; Sir James Hector, Vogel, and Dr Eccles being others. He strongly supported the establishment of Otago University. He was one of the promoters also of the Otago Benevolent Institution, and was a founder and the first treasurer of the Otago Institute, As an intelligent observer of the phenomena of Nature he was a most valuable member of this learned society. In 1877 he read a paper on the wild dog of New Zealand, and in 1870 he read a paper on moa remains in Otago. He was constantly referred to as to his observations during his early days on the land. For a while he was president of the Acclimatisation Society, which he did much to develop. From the time of its formation Murison was a director of the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company, of which he was a large shareholder. During the absence of Vogel from the province he several times had control of the Times, and he succeeded Barton as its editor, becoming in 1871 permanent editor of both papers. In this post he showed great ability and natural capacity, giving to the papers “a large, liberal, and cultured intelligence, a most unbending integrity, and a most earnest desire to do the right always, and the right alone. Calm and temperate in the expression of his opinions, almost judicial in the extreme impartiality with which he expressed himself, he conveyed even to those who at times differed widely from him the impression of having formed his judgment after full and calm consideration.” Eis gentleness of manner, sound judgment, urbanity, and kindliness endeared him to all. He was widely known and loved in social circles. He was a prominent figure in the cricket field during his earlier years in Otago, but had to abandon the game about 1866 owing to his health, which was never robust.

Murison died in Dunedin on December 28, 1877, leaving a widow and a family of five. ,