Nelson Province

(For the current top-level subdivision of Nelson in New Zealand, see Nelson, New Zealand)

The Nelson Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.

History

Nelson Provincial Council buildings

The Marlborough Province 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.^[1] There was considerable conflict between Superintendents John Perry Robinson's policies of supporting smaller land holders, and the objectives of the large pastoral run-holders in the Wairau Valley. 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 was gazetted on 4 October 1859.^[2]

Robinson laid the foundation stone for the Provincial Government buildings in Nelson on 26 August 1859.^[3] The building was in Albion Square in Bridge Street. It was designed by visiting architect Maxwell Bury and he modelled it on Aston Hall near Birmingham. 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.^[4]

Area

Model of the Nelson Provincial Government building (on display in the Nelson Colonial Museum)

The capital of the province was Nelson. 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 and Cobden. 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.^[5]

Superintendents

The Nelson Province had four Superintendents:^[6]

No.	from	to	Superintendent
1	1 Aug 1853	Sep 1856	Edward Stafford
2	12 Dec 1856	28 Jan 1865	John Perry Robinson
3	Mar 1865	4 Feb 1867	Alfred Saunders
4	Apr 1867	1 Jan 1877	Oswald Curtis

Legislation

• Nelson Waterworks Act 1863

Adjacent provinces

• Marlborough Province - northeast
• Canterbury Province - southeast
• Westland Province - southwest

References

1. ^ "Superintendents Of Marlborough". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch: Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1906. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d2-d2.html. Retrieved 21 May 2010. 
2. ^ "The separation of Nelson and Marlborough". The Prow. http://www.theprow.org.nz/the-separation-of-nelson-and-marlborough/. Retrieved 18 September 2010. 
3. ^ Broad, Lowther (1892). The Jubilee History of Nelson: From 1842 to 1892. Nelson: Bond, Finney, and Co. pp. 121–22. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-LowJubi-t1-body1-d8.html. Retrieved 18 September 2010. 
4. ^ Explanatory panel next to a model of the Government buildings in the Nelson Colonial Museum.
5. ^ "NZ public holiday dates 2010-2013". Department of Labour. http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/holidays_act_2003/dates/2010_13.html. Retrieved 18 September 2010. 
6. ^ "Provinces 1848-77". Rulers.org. http://rulers.org/newzprov.html. Retrieved 16 September 2010. 

See also

• Map of the old provincial boundaries