OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20176, 3 March 1931, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MRS E. MOREISS, WAIKUKU. link with early canterbury i Mrs Elizabeth Morriss, 92 years of age, tlie oldest inhabitant of Waikuku, died at a late hour ,on Sunday night, her death severing an interesting link with Canterbury's ! early history. Born in the village of Branston, Leicestershire, England, on October 29th, 1836, Mrs Morriss wn)s one of the eleven children of Mr William Stokes, who with his wife and family came out to New Zealand from the Old Country' in 1861 by the Randolph, one of the First Four Ships, to land with those who were among the earliest of the settlers of the Canterbury province. The father, on landing at Lyttelton, was first of all engaged as a sawyer in the felling of what was then known as the Papanui Bush. He afterwards took up farming in the Harewood road. Three years after the arrival of the' Stokes family in New Zealand, Elizabeth being then a girl of 18, they were left motherless, and it fell to her lot to "mother" the younger children, including twin babies. 'Four years later she married Mr William Morriss, and went to live at Waikuku. That was in 1858. when the countryside was practically virgin bush, tussock, and flax. The bride's first home was a rudely constructed hut, replaced as soon as possible with a "cob" house, of which sho was co-builder with her husband. In the day time, while the latter followed his occupation as a road-maker, his young wife, herself chopped out the tussock in preparation bf the site for the new home, and also with her own hands mixed the 'clay that was to form the principal 'material for house-building.. Then in the the husband would set about building the walls of their future residence. In this dwelling, Altered and improved to some extent in the course of the years, and the oldest house in the _ village, Mrs MorTiss continued to live almost uninterruptedly to the day ; of her death. To her family and visitors Mrs Morriss would .sometimes relate bow in those days, when her, children wsye young, she was quite accustomed to trudging through .the, bush tracks to JCaiapoi and back—a distance of about 'l4 iniles in all—to procure the household stores, carrying on one am her baby, while upon the other sho bore a bundle of potatoes, or a .bag of flour. The flax surrounding her home at,that time wai ,ho dense that.>oj) occasions,' when engaged on some, tusk tliflt,jtook her a little way into the thick growth, she *was, lost for a < time.. , liVhen » flt length she emerged from the flax, it. was to find herself at ,a fairly considerable 'distance from home, _ on a track that was part of what is now known as the Waikuku-Beach road. Almost to her last 3"®ar of .life, Mrs i 'Morriss, who was familiarly known to the villagers and others as "Granny,' haid enjoyed excellent health. Except during two or three recent severe sicknesses, she had maintained a verr .active existence, 'and it was only with- • in the last •vear that 'she had with reluctance been compelled, by failing sight l ,and the development ofneural,gio trouble in-the face, to desist from employing her leisure in sewing, and

knitting for, or writing to, the different members of her numerous family of children, grandchildren, and greal-grandchildren. Of her 11 v childrep, six survive her —five sons and one daughter, all married. They are Messrs James, Charles, and Fred Morriss (Waikuku), Mr Ben Morriss • (Eketahuna), and Mr, Arthur Morriss (Matamata): Most of the sons are engaged in farming. Jjfr B Morriss is a Justice of the Peace for Eketahuna, and Mr A, Morriss a member of the Matamata County Council. , The' surviving daughter is Mrs W. Heald, Kaiapoi. There are 20 grandchildren, an A 10 great-grandchildren. Mr W. Morriss died some- 15 years ago. There is . understood' to , be now only one surviving member of Mrs Morriss' . own family, the; Stokes Household. This is Mrs Connell, who. it l is supposed, is still living, at the advanced age of 96, s Australia. . ' , - To many a villager in trouble and difficulty Mrs . Morriss -proved an unfailing counsellor and;:friend; Almost. to the-end, though unable latterly" to attend the .Sunday services, she .was. keenly interested in the activities ttye Methodist Church-/ of which she was an earlv member, first nt"Woodend. and aftei wards at Waibflkn Radiating cheerfulness and kindliness, an interesting personality, she will be greatly missed' very many people., • The' funeral -takes place tomorrow ■ afternoon at iJw W&odond Methodist ' '

MRS EDITH SEARLE GROSSMAN. Many affectionate memories are roused on hearing that Mrs Edith Searle Grossman, wife of Professor J. P. Grossman, of Auckland" University, died at her home on February 27th. Born into a family of intellectual and collegiate tradition in' Victoria during 1863, Edith Searle came to New Zealand while sitll a child. At the Christchurch Girls' High School she showed exceptional brilliancy. The winner of a junior national scholarship, she became one of that bright girlgalaxy of Canterbury College, following in the pioneer footsteps of the two ! Edgcr sisters and Helen Connon, afterwards Mrs Macmillan Brown. Among the triumphs of her academic career was winning the Bowen prize, while the taking of a senior university scholarship was the prelude to her graduation in 1885 as Masters of Arts with firstclass honours in languages and literature and third-class honours in political science. Passing at once to a position in the Girls' College, Wellington, she taught there till her marriage with Mr J. P. Grossman in 1890, a brilliant fellow student,jthen a form master at the Boys' High School, Christchurch. In Christchurch Mrs Grossman at once t6ok her part in the cultural life < of the town, linking it characteristically with the rising urge of feminism which found useful expression in the Women's Institute. She took charge of the literary section of that body. She was already an author, having published "Angela: a Messenger," a story mainly of New Zealand bush life. Another book, "In Revolt," carried out more fully and sombrely the burning motive,of women's wrongs under the; laws of the time. In this, as in a longdelayed sequel, "A Knight of the Holy Ghost," Mrs Grossman proved herself a lady-errant, sacrificing the popularity of■ romance to the stern realism of a reformer." At this time began, too, an output of lighter sketches and literary articles which linked her with such journals as the Christchurch Pbbss, the "Lyttelton Times," the "Otago Witness," and the Auckland "Star." About' 1900 Mr and Mrg Grossman removed to Auckland. Early in the first decade of this century Mrs Grossman sojourned for some time in Europe, delighting in travel through Greece and round storied shores of the Adriatic Sea. In England she supported the suffrage cause, making many' friends among the leaders of that time. her return she published her last novel, "In the Heart of the Bush," containing charming vignettes of the New Zealand hinterlands she loved. But r in the Old World she was forced to ' recognise the . fragility of physique she had defied in her; earlier studies and,-activities. Returned to New Zealand, she spent; the rest of her life quietly in Auckland, Her wide and wist) reading, with, her strong befit towards human betterment, made her .a distinguished/-member of the Women's Civiq League as long her health*permitted. Later she Tound recreation and fellowship in the Pen Women's League. But increasing illhealth cut her off from serious exertion, and Jier gentle passing into the Beyond freed her from a heavy burden of pain and infirmity. Edith Searle Grostpnan> leaves a memf ory of pioneer craftsmanship, of lofty ' principle, indomitable' courage,* and powerful intelligence. Her intuitions on publie questions were sound and-clear; her family affections wers deep and strong; she was a maker and" a keeper of friends. Single-hearted, "and 'ever ' seeking the highest, she h'ad her part' in the rosy dawn of. New, Zealand's i academic womanhood, and well earned thb reßt upon which she has entered. JESSIE MACKAY. i

VISITORS TO HOLIDAY RESORTS, t ' Visitors at ' 'View Brae,Hanmer Springs, inolude Mr and Mrs J. Johnston, MissM. Johnston (Waltham), Mrs and MisS Edith Annetts (Ohristchurch), > Mrs Hogarth (Christ* cliurch), Jlrs R. Steam (St. Albans), / Mrs R.' Oooperj • Mrs Porteous (Ohristchurch), Mr and Mrs B. Pratt (Ohristchurch), Mr and Mrs H. Whitaman and child, (Ohristchurch), Mr arid Mrs J. Smith. Mr and Mrs H. W. Haitiday (Mataura), Mr J. Farmer (Papanui). Recent arrivals at ' 'The Lodge," Hanmer; Springs, include Mrs H. T. J.- • packer (Ohristchurch), Mr and Mrs W. H. Nicholson (Tiraaru), Mr and Mrs 3. Dryburgh and Miss Dryburgh - (Ohristchurch), Mr hj .: Milliken, Miss V. Milliken (Springfield), Miss M- Sutherland, Mr G.' Myers (Wellington), Mr sfid Mrs SifE. Weber, Misses D, and V. Weber (Sydney), Mrs* &. H. J. Oamm, Miss D. Oamm (Ohristchurch), Dr. Strang .(Donedin), Mrs M.« Gillies (Ohristchurch), Mr and Mrs T. Jones (Greynouth), Mr and Mr? L. B Scott (Ohristchurch), Mrs Plemmers, Mrs: ! W-hitcombe'(Wellington), Mrs- Skinner, Mrs Knight, .Miss Rpbertson, Commander Lawton, Mr A. Sinclair, Messrs h. Branton, A. White, W. X-oomey, A. E. Wilson, B. Wilson, A. Masters,' Hepplewhjte, Riley. A.: Boon. A. E. Croap, Vine, Taylor, Hills (Ohristchurch), - y - 'Recent arrivals at Hanmez House/ Hanmer Springs, include Mi: and 'Mrs P. Athea (Wellington), Dr.' R. <Stout (Wellington), Mr A. Sellers (Ohristchurch), M?bs Miles,(Ohristchurch), I'Mr O,' Miles (OhristchurchJ. Mr Qi' Wren 1 (Ohrlstehurch)j .Mr V;; Buckley (Ohri«t- ; church), Mr H. S. Mitchell (Christchuroh), Mr.' W. Taylor - (Ohrjfitchurch), •M* and Mrs. ScOtt (Chrjstchurch), 'Mr A.' li, M. Perry (Ohristchurch), Mr J. B. Jack J Ohristchurch), Miss 1 E/ W. Ingold (Ohristchurch), Miss Knudsen (Ohristchurch), Mr and ,Mrs Stephenson (Ohristchurch), Mr Hogh Stephen•on (Ohristchurch), and Mr B. .McKay /fit. _ . i i 7;

A NEW ZEALAND GRADUATE.. " > ■ „ Hits Catherine Tscheretnisßinotf| who left Qydney for Europe last is a jXiative of- Russia, who let&jPnfeE. riwn gantry in X 916. $lO teaching \at the ' Presbyterian Ooilegfip. Pymble, where she wa& the . senior); rraident and English and irioiern"history, "Miss' Tsctaereoußeiuoff is an excellent tinf guist, speaking five languages^—hec, town Russian, Frencn,Crerinan, Italian, and' English. When -she, Russia she spent',twi>' r 7i»*-<3uit&* in the household' ot the Consul-GeneraL tor Russia #t Shanghai. Tfo yeJiw; later she came to New Zealand, and' when'she arrived could English. She set herself language, and' within four years tatf, secured her degree of' Bachelor'of •Arts at the Victoria' tTn^er^i^^W^i * -** £ taught l at a school at Hamilton, later > A-:' * '

appointed language mistress •' At' the (Wellington Girls' College, which, was directed by ■: Miss Mary Maclean., ® n V IR P ui 'suarice of her to 1 8?e,• the, world byvearnirig-,.her living 'as a teacher in as .many countries as she could, she went to Australia, Her next appointment was as language mis- ? res -. 8 Jf* Merton Hall - Church of; Eng- > land Grammar School, • Melbourne, - and' :the . same , time she was - appointed instructor lof ithe'Russian language at' • Melbourne .University. 1 1 • Her last post was ftt the Presbyterian. .(Ladies' College,, Pymble, and" she resigned-it onthe jsvq. of her depaj turn . for > She will go first to; Paris'- -vvnivhpr relatives, and 1 I • t^en .hopes.' to I gomplete her. study;of. English by gain--1 ing~a degree at 'Oxford Cambridge. [She is subject. ' ' 7: '■ lV V'W'^V jf t v - t 4f if-.' VISITORS I „ ' ' 1 H '- M* Slid atrs A. Barseft «nd AU 3 Barnett (Punedin), and Mi Smith (Weinngton) -,|,Ve terbd ot' tha 'United ''SerHi® StatfeJ.j' --«&•< ■' , -V^ ke J ate A* Hotel Federal in-' Mr A. Lane wood (Ashhurton),, Jlw-Barwfefc? <A)uttt»s, M sf Bell (Akarta) A.ltylt&rf Inrerea^!, el»>>.Jic. W. a: Gallagher (Ifialtae), JbT. Webster (Duaedin), Mr and Mrs SulUvAn. and. ®jWd (WelUnyioa), -Mfc Hi'lliu lititmmtauc , IQtomotk M 4 * W, ft tav.