OBITUARY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10604, 1 June 1920, Page 4

OBITUARY

Ml G. E. MORRISON*. A BRILLIANT CAREER: Australian and N.2. Cable Association; (Received May 31, 7.40 p.m.)

LONDON, May 31. Dr George Ernest Morrison, Political Adviser to the Chinese President, is dead.

Published in "The Time*.'" (Received June 1, 1.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. Dr Morrison died at SidmoutU, afte* a lingering illnoss. He was occupied to the last in tarrying out his worts for the Chinese Government from thu sick room. i

"One of the ablest journalista at tho day.'" "Thus the "Daily Mail Year Book" sunus up the- late De Morrison, and no one will question the compliment paid to a man of sncli high attainments. Of a modest di»i position, and endowed with a likeable nature, Dr Morrison won. his w-ay to, tho forefront of- journalism by sheer ability, and his countless contributions to the London "Times" marked him as a foreign correspondent of rare in* sight and initiative.

Dr Morrison was an Australian, be<ing born in Geelong, Victoria, on February 4th, 1862. He was educated at the Melbourne and Edinburgh Universities, gaining the degree of! M.D. Of a nomadic nature, he soft out to cross Australia from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne when, quite a- youth, and after this feat ha spent some time in New Guinea. Dr Morrison graduated in 1887, and two years later he ..crossed- from Shanghai to Rangoon'by land. A»> special correspondent of the "Times," ha travelled subsequently from Bangkok, in Siam, to- Yunnan city, in China, and round Tonquin, and in the following year he crossed Manchuria, from Stretonsk, ia Siberia, to Ho wai> in Pekin during the siege oil - the Legations in June and August, 1900, and -was. present at the triumphal entry into Port Arthur in January, 1905. He sent the first authoritative account of Stoessel's surrender of Port Arthur, being still attached to the "Times.' J Dr Morrison represented the same journal all the Portsmouth Peace Conference in 1905. In 1910 he rode from Honaa city, in Central China, across Asia va Andijan. in Russian Turkestan, a distance of 3750 miles, the time occupied being 175 daye. ' He travelled in every province of China, except Tibet. He was appointed Political! ATJviser to the Chinese- Government in 1912,

Dr Morrison toured Australia and Now Zealand some time back, Wel« lington being included in his itinerary. His informative and chatty addresser at the various functions given in his honour will bo remembered with pleasure by those who were fortunate enough to hear him, Dr Morrison was married in 1912, and his wiff and three eons survive him.