MORTON, HENRY BRUCE (1846-1929) was the son of Henry Morton, was educated in Guernsey, and spent a few years in business in London before coming to New Zealand with the Albertland settlers in the Tyburnia (1863). His father did not take up his land but became publisher of the Southern Cross, and Morton in 1868 started business as a merchant in Custom Street, Auckland. In a few years H. B. Morton and Co. had their business activities all over the Auckland province.

Morton was keenly interested in New Zealand history and ethnology, and was a member of the Auckland Institute from 1867. He published in 1872 an account of an overland journey to the Rotorua district, and in 1925 Recollections of Early New Zealand. In 1890 he was elected to the One Tree Hill road board, of which he was chairman 1890-1903 and 1914-16. As chairman of the domain board and of the Dilworth trust board he took a great interest in tree planting at One Tree Hill, the Dilworth orchard at Papatoetoe, and on his own farm at Tauranga. Morton was a member of the committee of the Auckland chamber of commerce and the Sailors Home and of the council of the ladies' benevolent society; a member of the Anglican diocesan trust board and New Zealand mission trust board; a governor of King's College and a director of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. He was associated also with St Stephen's school for Maori boys and the Queen Victoria school for Maori girls. Morton took a prominent part as mediator in the waterside dispute in 1890, receiving a testimonial from the unions in recognition of his impartial advocacy. He died on 3 Aug 1929.

Brett, Albertlanders; Morton, op. cit.; N.Z. Herald, 29 Aug, 9 Sep 1890; 5 Aug 1929.

Reference: Volume 2, page 55

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