OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 40, 17 February 1930, Page 10

OBITUARY

MR. J. M. MORICE

To a very wide circle of friends word of the death of Mr. J. M. Moriee, of Wadestown, last evening came us a heavy blow this mooring, for he was a man of outstanding qualities iv his work and in himself. Of the lato Mr. Morice it can rightly be said that he was a real friend to all who knew him, a gentleman in the finest sense, and to the city of Wellington^ as a senior member of the City Engineer's department, for a quarter of a century a loyal and capable servant. Mr. Morice had for some time suffered heart attacks, and on Saturday, when, with the Education Board's architect, he went out to Paraparaumu to inspect a school water supply scheme, he complained of pain. Yesterday the attack came on again, and ho passed away early last evening.

Mr. Morieo was born in Forfarshire in 1861, and came to New Zealand as a young man, choosing surveying and engineering as his life work. In his early career Mr. Morice carried out a great deal of roading, and later Government survey work in the then wild country in the centre of the North Island. In 1902, when District Surveyor, Lands and Survey Department, ho was appointed Assistant City Engineer, under Mr. Rounthwaite, and engineer in, charge of waterworks and drainage, in which latter capacity he was to leave many most important and major city works. His qualifications wero high, for he was an associate member of tho Institute of Civil Engineers, a Bachelor of Science, member of the Sanitary Institute, and member of the New Zealand. Society of Enginoevs. During the absence of the late Mr. W. 11. Morton Mr. Moriee was Acting-City Engineer. He was to have retired in December, 1920, but at the request of. the council remained in office pending the arrival of the x)resent City Engineer, Mr. G. A. Hart,, and for a sufficient period to make Mr. Hart acquainted with tho several big water and drainage works in hand or proposed. Ho retired on superannuation in September, 1927, but for some months continued in an advisory capacity in connection with the preliminaries of the city and suburban water supply scheme, and later practised as a consulting engineer. MANY BIG CITY WOKKS. During his long period of service, Mr. Morieo was wholly or very largely responsible for the large works in water and drainage services which have placed Wellington in the very forefront as a healthy city. Tho drainage system dated back, of course,- prior to his joining the city staff, but it was then almost sololy a, city area system, arid has since been extended to outlying areas then parts of suburban boroughs, Melrose, Karori, Miramar, Onslow, and Wadestown. .- The Morton dam was built under his immediate supervision, likewise the Upper Karori dam, the several high level' reservoirs, tho Bell road t reservoir, the Wainui main was duplicated, and, as, his last big 'work, the Orongorongo weir, tunno], and pipe line to Karori, were designed by Mr. Morice and his staff, Mr. Morton dying beforo his- ideas took more than general shape.

Those who were with Mr. Morieo in these works speak in tho highest terms of his capabilities as an engineer, and always of the quiet but capable manner, which held staff and men together. Much has' been said of the success of tho co-operative system followed in the driving of the Orongorongo tunnel, but unquestionably a great part of the smooth running was duo to the quiet and reasonable manner in which the council's requirements wero stated. To the tunnellers he was invariably "the old man," but the words wero spoken in very friendly fashion. '

In private life Mr. Morieo had a keen interest in church work, as an officer', of St. John's, and in the work of the Boys' Institute. He had read milch, and from his early surveying work was a good Maori scholar, and a great lover of New Zealand flora. He loaves a widow and daughter. The funeral will take placo on Wednesday at 10 a.m.