Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/515

 Mr.c.R.Moms ADE LAI DE AN D VIC I N ITY 489 Mr. Hack bought the business from the trustees. Rut, partly owing to a disastrous fire, and a commercial crisis which culminated in the failure of the Commercial Bank of South Australia, Mr. Hack relinquished his connection with it; and in 1886 Messrs. Walter and Morris, who had entered it not so many years before as mere boys, became the proprietors of this big concern. It must have required much nerve and native courage for two young men to take over a business which, in older hands, had been so unsuccessful. It was up-hill work at first ; but, blending enterprise with a sound policy, the new- proprietors were not long in reaping a reward for their industry, and to-day they stand as examples of successful business men who control many workers both in Port Adelaide and in Adelaide, in which latter city they own a large branch establishment. Mr. Morris has devoted several valuable years to the weal of the dwellers of Port Adelaide. About 10 years ago he was returned for Cleave Ward to the Council of the local municipality ; and he had served in the Council only two years when he was appointed Chairman of Finance — a position he held for two successive years. At the end of this period he was asked to contest the mayoralty, but his opponent, Mr. Sigrist, defeated him by 19 votes. Nothing daunted, Mr. Morris went before the ratepayers again in 1894, and was returned by a large majority. In the Chief Magistrate's chair he realised the anticipations of his sanguine admirers. The ratepayers paid him a very flattering compliment when they returned him unopposed as Mayor for the three succeeding years. There are not many young men of his age in Australia who can boast of such a record. Necessarily, Mr. Morris has held many offices more or less associated with the civic governorship. He was vice-president of the Municipal Association, a member of the Adelaide Hospital Board, and of the Eire Brigades Board, representing the Suburban Corporations. He is a member of the Port Adelaide School Board of Advice, and in 1897 carried out, as Mayor, the working of the Diamond Jubilee scheme of Mr. David Bower, who gave a large sum of money and a grant of land for the establishment of homes for necessitous seamen. During his reign as Mayor, Mr. Morris instituted, or helped to institute, many municipal reforms and improvements, foremost amongst which may be mentioned the installation of the electric light system throughout Port Adelaide ; and this was the first town to establish the system in South Australia. In connection with the Portland embankment, Mr. Morris took an active part in having it kept a solid buttress to prevent the inrush of flood and tidal waters which formerly used to overflow at this point. Mr. Morris lends ready aid to healthy athletic e.xercise, and is patron and president of quite a number of football, cricket, and other clubs, and in connection with cricket, he, as delegate to the South Australian Cricketing Association representing Port Adelaide, was instrumental in getting the senior club formed at the Port; also in securing 100 acres of land adjacent to the Port for recreation purposes. In the Congregational Church at Port Adelaide Mr. Morris has always taken a great interest, and for some years has been a deacon. His upright bearing and conscientious dealings, together with his success in life, are tributes to his character that only require to be mentioned, GG