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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Land Transfer Department

Land Transfer Department.

The Dunedin Land Transfer and Deeds Registry Office occupies the left hand forntage of the Post Office building facing Princes Street. The Deeds Registry department has existed since the early days of the settlement of Otago, the Land Transfer department, now by far the more important, dating from 1871. The registrar has control of registrations for the Otago Lands and Deeds Registration districts.

Mr. W. Wyinks , formerly District Land Registrar at Invercargill, succeeded Mr. Hanson Turton at Dunedin in December, 1903.

Mr. Hanson Turton , formerly District Land Registrar and Registrar of Deeds, at Dunedin, was a Government servant for more than thirtyeight years. He is a son of the late Rev. Henry Hanson Turton, one of the early missionaries, who afterwards entered the public service, became Resident Magistrate and Warden of the Coromandel goldfields for several years, and subsequently represented Taranaki in the General Assembly. Born at Aotea in 1843, the subject of this sketch entered the Native Department, at Auckland, in 1858 as cadet, serving five and a half years under the late Sir Donald McLean. Leaving the department, he became a law student. and was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in 1867. After practising on the Thames goldfields for two years, Mr. Turton was appointed Registrar of Deeds, District Land Registrar, and Native Trust Commissioner at Napier, where he remained for five years. He was then transferred to Dunedin, where he held similar positions up to the end of 1903, with the exception of the office of Native Trust Commissioner, which he held for very many years, but which became vested by statute in the local Resident Magistrate in the year 1894. During the Atkinson Government Mr. Turton was desired by Ministers to accept office as a Native Land Court Judge, but he preferred to retain his office as Registrar of Land Titles under the Torrens system of conveyancing. He resigned voluntarily towards the close of 1903, with a view to residing in Southern Europe.

Mr. H. Turton.

Mr. H. Turton.