MIZEN SAWMILL STUDY
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JAMES MORRISON 1882

The enterprise known as Mason and Bird was listed as for sale by auction on 12th April 1882. The Auction was listed in the name of James Morrison under instructions from the mortgagee (who is not mentioned, but Joseph Shaw was the last lender recorded in the Lands Department Memorial Books). The advertisement states that the enterprise was sold as a going concern and comprised all of the items necessary to continue the business including the land, plant and equipment and the timber concession.

There is a foot note to the advertisement that indicates that Morrison had been instructed to sell the property on the 3rd March 1882. The advertisement also suggests why subsequent writers assumed the business was a ‘company’ (Unknown, For sale by auction, 1882, p. 2). The advertisement uses the word ‘company’ as a substitute for ‘companion’. The property was again advertised as for sale in late May 1882, this time, by private contract. The advertisement indicates that the property had now been “put into good repair” and was in “fair working condition”. It would appear that the mortgagee was now starting to be concerned about recovering their money as it is stated that they would be prepared to accept a price of about 1/3 of the valuation of the business (Unknown, For sale by private contract, 1882, p. 2). It is not known whether Morrison, the trustee in bankruptcy or the mortgagee operated the mill during the period it was listed for sale by James Morrison. Ultimately the land and mill were transferred to Joseph Shaw (Slee & Shaw, 1979, p. 38).
 

(Morrison, For Sale By Auction, 1882, p. 2)
 

References:     Article:      David Mizen

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