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George Morris (New Zealand politician)

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The Honourable
George Morris
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Tauranga
In office
1881–1885
Succeeded byJohn Sheehan
Personal details
Born
George Bentham Morris

1839
Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia
Died (aged 63)
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

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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

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1876–1879 6th East Coast Independent
1881–1884 8th Tauranga Independent
1884–1885 9th Tauranga Independent

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.[4]

The 1881 election in the newly formed Tauranga 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.[5] Rowe announced his retirement from the contest on 6 December three days out from election day, urging his supporters to vote for Stewart instead.[6] 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.[7] This was deferred until 14 December, with Morris ahead by 10 votes.[8] Stewart stood for the Tauranga mayoralty a few months later and was elected the town's first mayor.[9]

He represented the Tauranga electorate until 1885, when he resigned.[4]

He was later a member of the Legislative Council, from 15 May 1885 until his death.[10] 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.[11] He was buried at Waikaraka Cemetery, Onehunga.[12]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Morris, George Bentham". Colonial Tasmanian Family Links. Libraries Tasmania. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Obituary". Taranaki Herald. Vol. 50, no. 12235. 17 April 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ^ Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 185.
  4. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 221.
  5. ^ "Nomination of Candidates for the Tauranga Electorate". Bay of Plenty Times. Vol. X, no. 1152. 30 November 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  6. ^ "The Bay of Plenty Times". Vol. X, no. 1158. 7 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  7. ^ "The Bay of Plenty Times". Vol. X, no. 1161. 10 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Declaration of the Poll for the Tauranga Electorate". Bay of Plenty Times. Vol. X, no. 1164. 14 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  9. ^ Rorke, Jinty. "George Vesey Stewart". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  10. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 159.
  11. ^ "The Hon. Captain Morris". New Zealand Herald. Vol. 40, no. 12263. 6 May 1903. p. 2 (supplement). Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Record for George Bentham Morris". Auckland Council. Retrieved 8 June 2021.

References

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  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Coast
1876–1879 		Succeeded by
New constituency Member of Parliament for Tauranga
1881–1885 		Succeeded by
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