THE LATE DR. ALEX. MORRISON. 
108 
The Foundation Stones of Western Australia: An Early 
Chapter in the Geological History of tile State. By 
A. Gibb Maitland, F.G.S. (Read October 14th, 1913.) 
Time and Its Measurement. By A. D. Ross,* M.A., I). Sc., 
F.R.A.S., F.R.S.E. (Read November nth, 1913). 
A Theory of the Method of the Formation of Australites. 
By C. G. Thorp, M.B., C.M. (Read December 9th, 1913.) 
THE LATE DR. ALEX. MORRISON. 
Dr. Alexander Morrison, L.R.C.P. and L.R.C.S. (Edinburgh, 
1876), was a son of Thomas Morrison, of North Dalmeny, near 
Edinburgh, and was born there on 15th March, 1849. He became 
a medical student at the University of Edinburgh. When 
eighteen years of age he voyaged to Australia for the sake of 
his health, and resided in Melbourne for two years, continuing 
his medical studies at the University. Returning to Edinburgh, 
lie graduated there, and also studied in Glasgow, Wurzburg, and 
Vienna. In 1877 he returned to Australia in medical charge of 
immigrants in the ship Hastings, by which vessel Bishop Parry 
also came out. Dr. Morrison stayed only a few clays in Western 
Australia, but he went to York and walked most of the way back 
to Perth, examining the flora, as he was an enthusiastic “ syste- 
matic ” botanist. He went to Melbourne and was locum leneiis 
for a year for the doctor of the Ararat Lunatic Asylum, and then 
started in private practice in Albert Street, East Melbourne, 
where he remained fifteen years. He then sold his practice, and, 
after some time spent in travel, in the course of which he ex- 
amined the botany of the New Hebrides, he returned to Perth 
and was appointed Botanist in the Bureau of Agriculture, from 
1st July, 1897, at a salary of £230 per annum, by Mr. George 
Throssell, the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Sir John Forrest, 
Premier). But, unlike the government botanists of the other 
States, he was not allowed a free pass or clerical assistance, and 
his opportunities of doing original work were consequently some- 
what curtailed. He continued to fulfil the duties of Botanist 
until iqth June, 1906 .when the retrenchment of the Government 
(Mr. C.. F. Chaplin being Director of Agriculture and Sir Newton 
Moore, Premier) rendered the position vacant. He received a 
reitring allowance of £143 19s. 3d., but no pension, which would 
have accrued to him after another year’s service. He took up 
private practice again, residing first in Hay Street, near Irwin 
* Professor of Mathematics and Physics in the University of Western Australia. 
