Nelson Province
Encyclopedia
The Nelson Province was a province of New Zealand
Provinces of New Zealand
The Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.
History
The Marlborough ProvinceMarlborough Province
The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
split away from the Nelson Province on 1 November 1859 because the majority of the income of the Provincial Council came from land sales in the Marlborough region, but the funds were mostly used in the Nelson region. Land sales in Nelson and Marlborough netted the Nelson Provincial Council £33,000 and £160,000, respectively. Of that, £200 were expended benefiting the Marlborough region. There was considerable conflict between Superintendents
Superintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
John Perry Robinson
John Perry Robinson
John Perry Robinson was the second Superintendent of the Nelson Province in New Zealand. His election came as a surprise, but he proved so popular that he won two subsequent elections with comfortable majorities...
's policies of supporting smaller land holders, and the objectives of the large pastoral run-holders in the Wairau Valley
Wairau Valley
Wairau Valley is the valley of the Wairau River in Marlborough, New Zealand and also the name of the main settlement in the upper valley. State Highway 63 runs through the valley. The valley opens onto the Wairau Plain, where Renwick and Blenheim are sited...
. The New Provinces Act 1858 allowed for parts of a province to break away if the area was large enough, and enough voters supported such a move. The petition was signed by almost all settlers in the Wairau; only six withholding their support for a split. The new Marlborough Province
Marlborough Province
The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
was gazetted on 4 October 1859.
Robinson laid the foundation stone for the Provincial Government buildings in Nelson on 26 August 1859. The building was in Albion Square in Bridge Street. It was designed by visiting architect Maxwell Bury
Maxwell Bury
Maxwell Bury was an English-born architect who was active in New Zealand in the 19th century. He is best remembered for his buildings for the University of Otago.-Life:...
and he modelled it on Aston Hall
Aston Hall
Aston Hall is a municipally owned Jacobean-style mansion in Aston, Birmingham, England. Washington Irving used it as the model for Bracebridge Hall in his stories in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon.-History:...
near Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. Whereas Aston Hall was built from stone, the Government buildings were from timber. The buildings were run down and had stood empty for some years when they were demolished in 1969, amidst much controversy. The court building now stands on the site.
Area
The capital of the province was NelsonNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. The province itself was much larger than present-day Nelson City, which is a unitary authority. The province included all of the present-day Tasman Region and the northern part of the present-day West Coast Region, including Westport
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
and Cobden
Cobden, New Zealand
Cobden is a suburb to the north of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand. The Grey River separates Cobden from the rest of Greymouth. To the north is the Rapahoe Range, also called the Twelve Apostles Range...
. Marlborough Province split from Nelson Province in October 1859.
Anniversary day
New Zealand law provides an anniversary day for each province. In Nelson, it is celebrated on the Monday closest to the actual day.Superintendents
The Nelson Province had four SuperintendentsSuperintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
:
| No. | from | to | Superintendent |
| 1 | 1 Aug 1853 | Sep 1856 | Edward Stafford Edward Stafford (politician) Sir Edward Stafford, KCMG served as the third Premier of New Zealand on three occasions in the mid 19th century. His total time in office is the longest of any leader without a political party. He is described as pragmatic, logical, and clear-sighted.-Early life and career:Edward William Stafford... |
| 2 | 12 Dec 1856 | 28 Jan 1865 | John Perry Robinson John Perry Robinson John Perry Robinson was the second Superintendent of the Nelson Province in New Zealand. His election came as a surprise, but he proved so popular that he won two subsequent elections with comfortable majorities... |
| 3 | Mar 1865 | 4 Feb 1867 | Alfred Saunders Alfred Saunders Alfred Saunders was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He was elected onto the Nelson Provincial Council representing Waimea South in 1855 and remained a councillor until his election of Superintendent for the Nelson Province from 1865 to 1867. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Waimea... |
| 4 | Apr 1867 | 1 Jan 1877 | Oswald Curtis Oswald Curtis Oswald Curtis was a 19th century New Zealand politician born in London, England on 20 January 1821. He was the son of Stephen Curtis and Eleanora LLewellyn. He migrated to Nelson in 1853, arriving on 18 June.- Mahomed Shah :... |
Adjacent provinces
- Marlborough ProvinceMarlborough ProvinceThe Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
- northeast - Canterbury ProvinceCanterbury ProvinceThe Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
- southeast - Westland ProvinceWestland ProvinceThe Westland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1873 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital was Hokitika.-Area:...
- southwest
See also
New Zealand°N date=December 2010°W