Westland | |
|---|---|
 Westland Province within New Zealand post 1873 | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Island | South Island |
| Established | 1873 |
| Abolished | 1876 |
| Seat | Hokitika |
The Westland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1873 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital was Hokitika.
The area was part of Canterbury Province when the provinces were created in 1853. By 1868, triggered by the population growth associated with the West Coast Gold Rush, the West Coast region was separated from Canterbury Province with the formation of the County of Westland. The boundary to Canterbury was defined as the crest of the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.
This county was not a true province, as it had all the administrative powers of a provincial council, but saw the legislative powers remain with Parliament in Wellington. Members of Parliament were not happy with having to spend their time on local legislation, and in 1873 the government elevated the county to full provincial status – the last of the 10 New Zealand provinces to be established. [1]
The province covered an area roughly the same as the present day Westland District, on the West Coast of New Zealand. The boundary with the Nelson Province was, as per George Grey's proclamation from February 1853, the Grey and Arnold Rivers, Lake Brunner, and from there to the headwaters of the Hurunui River through then virtually unknown territory. [1]
When John Hall resigned as Westland county chairman the government appointed James Bonar. Bonar was chairman during the period of the Fenian riots and is credited with "great tact in handling that explosive situation".
In March 1868 he swore in 640 special constables to suppress an Irish nationalist procession in Hokitika. Bonar was replaced by Conrad Hoos, but later—when on 1 December 1873 Westland split from Canterbury Province—Bonar resumed, but as the provincial superintendent.
New Zealand law still provides for a provincial anniversary day.
| Provincial District | includes | Actual Day | Observance Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westland | Hokitika, Greymouth | December 1 | Monday nearest to the actual day (Greymouth) |
The Westland Province had one Superintendent: [2]
| No. | from | to | Superintendent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 Jan 1874 | 1 Jan 1877 | James Bonar [3] [4] |
In 1874 John Lazar, former Hokitika Town Clerk and Country Treasurer, was appointed Provincial Treasurer. [5]
No legislation passed by the Westland Provincial Council has survived to the present time.
The West Coast is a region of New Zealand on the west coast of the South Island that is administered by the West Coast Regional Council, and is known co-officially as Te Tai Poutini. It comprises the territorial authorities of Buller District, Grey District and Westland District. The principal towns are Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika. The region, one of the more remote areas of the country, is also the most sparsely populated. With a population of just 32,000 people, Te Tai Poutini is the least populous region in New Zealand, and it is the only region where the population is declining.
The provinces of the Colony of New Zealand existed as a form of sub-national government. Initially established in 1846 when New Zealand was a Crown colony without responsible government, two provinces were established. Each province had its own legislative council and Governor. With the passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 the provinces were recreated around the six planned settlements or "colonies". By 1873 the number of provinces had increased to nine, but they had become less isolated from each other and demands for centralised government arose. In 1875 the New Zealand Parliament decided to abolish the provincial governments, and they came to an end in November 1876. They were superseded by counties, which were later replaced by territorial authorities.
The Wellington Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.
William Sefton Moorhouse was a British-born New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province.
Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is 2,910 as of June 2021.
Westland District is a territorial authority on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is administered by the Westland District Council. The district's population is 8,910.
The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.
Nelson Province was constituted in 1853 under the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, and originally covered the entire upper South Island, including all of present-day Buller, Kaikoura, Marlborough, and Tasman districts, along with Nelson City, Grey District north of the Grey River, and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River. It was reduced in size by the creation of Marlborough Province in November 1859, then abolished in 1876, along with all the provinces of New Zealand.
The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1 November 1859, when it split away from Nelson Province, until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Its capital was Christchurch.
The Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital of the province was Dunedin. Southland Province split from Otago in 1861, but became part of the province again in 1870.
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.
Edmund Barff was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from the West Coast, New Zealand.
John White was a 19th-century member of the House of Representatives from the West Coast, New Zealand.
Grey County was one of the counties of New Zealand in the South Island.
James Alexander Bonar was a New Zealand merchant, shipping agent, company director and politician. He was born in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland on 12 June 1840. He was a member of the Westland County Council during the whole time of its existence, and was the county council's second chairman. He was the first Mayor of Hokitika, represented Hokitika on the Canterbury Provincial Council, a member of the Legislative Council, and the only Superintendent of Westland Province.
Westland District Council is the territorial authority for the Westland District of New Zealand.
The Mayor of Hokitika officiated over the borough of Hokitika in New Zealand. The office was created in 1866 when Hokitika became a municipality and a borough two years later, and ceased with the 1989 local government reforms, when Hokitika Borough and Westland County merged to form Westland District. The first Mayor of Hokitika was James Bonar.
Westland County, also known as County of Westland, was a local government area on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It existed from 1868 to 1873, and then from 1876 until 1989. In its first incarnation it constituted the government for the area that was split from the Canterbury Province, with the West Coast Gold Rush having given the impetus for that split. It had the same administrative powers as a provincial council, but the legislative power rested with Parliament in Wellington. The first Westland County was the predecessor to Westland Province.
The Hokitika Borough was the borough council covering the urban part of the town of Hokitika, New Zealand between 1867 and 1989, when Hokitika Borough and Westland County merged to form Westland District.
Coordinates: 42°42′56″S170°58′5″E / 42.71556°S 170.96806°E