Seventy=Five Years in New Zealand.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 10 August 1918, Page 2

Seventy=Five Years in New Zealand.

THE LATE Mil THOS. MO KG AN. The late Mr Thomas Morgan, who died at his residence in Levin on Tuesday, was one of the oldest settlers of the ' Wellington province. lie was a first cousin to the late Mr Enoch Tonks, of Wellington, and they arrived together in the ship J3urnian in 184'!, Mr Morgan, who was born in Wales in 1837,' being only five years old when he landed in Wellington. In his early manhood he helped to fell the bush in the, IVgahauranga, Gorge and helped to pit saw the timber for the first school and church in the Porirua district. He was known as one of the finest rifle shots in the early days of the settlement at Wellington and won a number of prizes for his marksmanship. He was called up with the militia of those days in times of Maori unrest and served for some time during tlie trouble with the natives. Mr' , Morgan had charge of a large I searoli party .sent out to apprehend a large number of Maori prisoners who escaped from a hulk in Wellington harbour by swimming ashore. In 18G0 the late MiMorgan went to the gold fields in 'Xew South Wales and took paa-t in many stirring and adventurous incidents. Pie was at Lambing Flat and saw Gardiner, Ben Hall and Gilbert, the notorious bushrangers after their capture and during l their last journey to gaol. He had a great fund of interesting information upon the early days. After his return from the diggings Mr 31 organ took up farming at Tavva Flat, where he remained for 40 years, retiring eventually and settling down in Levin. He was widely known and esteemed on this coast and was J [lie type of early colonist who laid the foundations jif the infant colony well and firmly. He leaves a widow and family of six—four sons and l\vo daughters, these being Messrs 11., A., E. S., and D. G. Morgan, all of Levin, and Mrs J; P. , Goodwin (Avondale), and Miss E. Morgan (Sydney). All the, four sons served in the South African War and one saw active service in the present war, being- wounded at the Soinnie an,d sent back to iN T ew Zealand. • The funeral took place from deceased's late residence, Rosslyn road, on Thursday, the burial service being conducted by the Rev. J. H. Haslam.