70 Busy Years

Melbourne Cash celebrates 70 years in business in Gisborne this year. The firm originally started as a partnership between Mr Charles Morris and Mr W. G. Morrison in a building next to Thomas Adams Ltd in 1904. However Mr Morrison was forced to retire from the partnership fairly early, owing to ill health. About 18 months after this Charles Morris astounded the businessmen of the town oy moving shop further up Gladstone Road to the present site near Peel Street, virtually in the business wilderness of those days. However the move proved fortuitous as the firm is now right in the centre of the business area.

Melbourne Cash has remained a family business to this day and is now in its third generation. Mr Charles Morris's son, Mr Benito Morris, came into the business not long after leaving school and he has been with the firm for more than 50 years. His three sons, Messrs Rowland, Norman and Graham Morris also joined Melbourne Cash upon completing their education.

And they are still there, except for Mr Norman Morris who lost his life in the Kaimai air disaster of 1963.

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From the left the founder of the firm, Mr Charles Morris; his son and present managing director, Mr Benito Morris; third generation businessmen Messrs Rowland third generation businessmen Graham Morris.

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The arrow shows the site of the first Melbourne Cash premises. Note the leisurely pace of life in the early 1900s.