OBITUARY.

Wairarapa Age, 11 March 1922, Page 5

OBITUARY.

MRS MORRISON, SENIOR. Wide regret will be felt at the death, which took place at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon at her residence, Waihora, Lansdowne, of Mrs J. Morrison, senior, one of the oldest and best known settlers in the Wairarapa. The late Airs Morrison, whose maiden name was Jessie Morison, was born in Argyllshire in 1843, and came to New Zealand with her parents about 1860. They settled in the Wairarapa in the vicinity of Greytown, and about 1867 the deceased lady was married in this district to Mr Morrison.

Her husband, attracted by the gold rushes, had been for some time in the South Island, where, like his friend Sir Walter Buchanan, he was engaged on a large scale in the cattle trade between Canterbury and the thriving mining towns on the West Coast. The young couple went to live at Christchurch, and it was there that their first child, the late John Morrison, was born. About 1872 they returned to the North Island and purchased the Langdale station, which was some years ago cut up for closer settlement. After living at Langdale for six or seven years Mr Morrison sold the property to Mr Elder, and the family came to live in Masterton for a year or two. The next property which Mr Morrison purchased was the Bowlands station, near Bideford. Here they remained until about 1880, when this too was sold, to the late Mr R. S. Hawkins. Mr Morrison had previously purchased the well-known Blairlogie property, which has been for so long associated with the Morrison name. The only access in those days was on foot, on horseback or by bullock dray. Here the family lived for many years, and here Mr Morrison died in 1889. Mrs Morrison continued ( to live on the place until 1916, taking an active part in its management, and always sharing in the joys and troubles of the other pioneer families of the district. Hospitality and kindness were the characteristics of every member of the family. Medical attention was very difficult to summon in case of emergency, and many a time Mrs Morrison was called upon to act as both nurse and doctor, often riding for long distances over bad roads during the night. In those early days bridges were unknown, roads were bad and the rivers of the East Coast took their toll of human life. The late Mrs Morrison saw pioneering in it* roughest and most trying phases. She was always a sturdy Christian and an indefatigable church worker, and her zeal knew no bounds of nar- ■ rown.es*. Though a Presbyterian her-j self, she worked with unimpaired enthusiasm for the Anglican parish in which she found herself. It was she who gave the s ection upon which the pretty little church at Langdale was erected, and she also took a leading j part fin raising the money for the church itself which was then within the Anglican parish of the vicar of Tinui (the Rev. J. Sykes). In 1916 Mrs Morrison came to live a Masterton. Though now advanced in year©, her interests remained as wide as ever. She always took a keen part in political matters and maintained her enthusiasm for church work in the interests of both the Presbyterian, and the Anglican denomination*. She was very tenacious of her formed opinions. All her life Mrs Morri on wa© a model of Scots’ hospitality, and her door was always i open to her wide circle of friends. ■ She enjoyed robust health until about four yri rs ago, when she had a 1 stroke i'rom which she never properly recovered. The fiu. ily consisted of four sons and three- daughters. Of these only the youngest son, Mr Hugh Morrison of Awaitoitoi (provincial president of the Farmers’ Union) and the three daughters survive. The daughters are: Mrs Bett, wife of Dr. Bett, of Nelfion; Mis s Al. A. Morrison, and Miss Katie Alorrison, who have lived with their mother at Lansdowne. The other sons were John, Alexander and Rupert (who died in the influenza epidemic of 1918). There arc twelve grandchildren. The funeral will take place to-mor-row afternoon, leaving the residence at 2 p.m. for the Alasterton cemetery .