George Morris (New Zealand politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
George Morris
Constituency Mp3:Tauranga
Parliament3:New Zealand
Successor3:John Sheehan
Term Start3:1881
Term End3:1885
Birth Name:George Bentham Morris
Birth Date:1839
Birth Place:Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia
Death Place:Onehunga, New Zealand

George Bentham Morris (1839 – 16 April 1903) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty regions of New Zealand.

Early life

Morris was born in Oatlands, Van Diemen's Land in 1839, the son of Susan Emma Waudby and Reverend George Sculthorpe Morris.[1] He joined the marines after leaving school, and eventually arrived in New Zealand in 1870, settling in Auckland.[2]

Political career

Morris represented the Tauranga electorate in the Auckland Provincial Council from 12 November 1873 until the abolition of provincial government on 31 October 1876.[3] He represented the East Coast electorate in the House of Representatives from 1876 (when he was declared elected on a petition) to 1879, when he was defeated.

The in the newly formed electorate was hotly contested. Four candidates were nominated: Morris; William Kelly, who had also previously represented the East Coast electorate; George Vesey Stewart, then the owner of the Bay of Plenty Times; and Henry Thomas Rowe, a surveyor and commission agent.[4] Rowe announced his retirement from the contest on 6 December three days out from election day, urging his supporters to vote for Stewart instead.[5] The unofficial results were released the day after the election (Saturday, 10 December) and Morris had a majority of 13 votes over Stewart, with the official declaration to be made on 12 December.[6] This was deferred until 14 December, with Morris ahead by 10 votes.[7] Stewart stood for the Tauranga mayoralty a few months later and was elected the town's first mayor.

He represented the Tauranga electorate until 1885, when he resigned.

He was later a member of the Legislative Council, from 15 May 1885 until his death. He died at his home in Onehunga on 16 April 1903, aged 63, as a result of tripping and sustaining a blow to his temple.[8] He was buried at Waikaraka Cemetery, Onehunga.[9]

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Morris, George Bentham . Colonial Tasmanian Family Links . Libraries Tasmania . 23 May 2021.
  2. News: Obituary . 17 April 1903 . Taranaki Herald . 50 . 12235 . 5 . 23 May 2021.
  3. Book: Scholefield, Guy . Guy Scholefield

    . Guy Scholefield . New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 . 3rd . First published in 1913 . 1950 . Govt. Printer . Wellington . 185 .

  4. News: Nomination of Candidates for the Tauranga Electorate . 30 November 1881 . X . 1152 . . 28 November 2013 . 2.
  5. News: The Bay of Plenty Times . 7 December 1881 . X . 1158 . 30 November 2013 . 2.
  6. News: The Bay of Plenty Times . 10 December 1881 . X . 1161 . 30 November 2013 . 2.
  7. News: Declaration of the Poll for the Tauranga Electorate . 14 December 1881 . X . 1164 . . 30 November 2013 . 2.
  8. News: The Hon. Captain Morris . 6 May 1903 . New Zealand Herald . 2 (supplement) . 40 . 12263 . 8 June 2021.
  9. Web site: Record for George Bentham Morris . Auckland Council . 8 June 2021.