Election of Aldermen.

Ever since the proclamation of the Borough in August, the settlers had looked forward with eagerness and excitement to the election for Aldermen and Mayor, which was set down for 3rd October, 1842. The Act provided that all male inhabitants should be entitled to register their votes with the sub-sheriff by paying one pound sterling; 350 persons availed themselves of the privilege. The usual competition took place between the gentry and the working men. Each party formed a committee, which suggested a list of Aldermen for election. Meetings were held, and canvassing began even before the registration of voters. Some of the registry fees were paid by the committees. The meetings were most stormy; and at one of them Dr. Evans was pulled off the table (upon which he had climbed in order to addressed his audience) by visiting stockman from Australia.

On the day of the Poll, flags and a band were paraded on the beach with some of the popular candidates; distinctive cockades were worn; and the straw hut inside the Pa (Police Office), now used as the polling booth, was surrounded by agents of both parties, eager to force cards with their own list into the hands of each voter as he arrived. The usual tricks and intrigues were resorted to, and bribery in the shape of glasses of grog, was much in evidence.

The first Mayor of Wellington was Mr. George Hunter, one of the earliest colonists. He was of advanced years, with a large family, and a merchant of the first standing in the place. He was also a Justice of the Peace

Burgess Roll for the Borough
Of Wellington, 1843.

Copied from the Printed Sheet kindly lent by
Mr. W. E. Bethune.

1. Allen, W.	Manners Street
2. Allsdorf, Von C.	Lambton Quay.
3. Anderson, Archd.	Thorndon Quay.
4. Annear, Jas.	Sidney Street.
5. Biard, Jas.	Cuba Street.
6. Baird, John	Cuba Street.
7. Baker, Richd.	Lambton Quay.
8. Barr, John	Lambton Quay.
9. Bell, Jas.	Lambton Quay.
10. Bethune, Kenneth	Lambton Quay.
11. Bevan, Thos.	Lambton Quay.
12. Bewick, Wm.	Te Aro.
13. Bolton, Fredk.	Thorndon Quay.
14. Boulcott, Jos.	Te Aro.
15. Bould, Robt.	Tinakori Road.
16. Brees, S. C.	Hawkestone Street.
17. Brice, John	Terrace.
18. Brooke, S.	Pipitea Point.
19. Brown, R.	Lambton Quay.
20. Brown, W. H.	Lambton Quay.
21. Buck, Geo.	Thorndon Flat.
22. Buck, H.	Thorndon Flat.
23. Bull, Jas.	Pipitea Pa.
24. Butler, W. S.	Willis Street.
25. Catchpool, E. P.	Dixon Street.
26. Cimino, S.	Lambton Quay.
27. Clifford, C.	Thorndon Flat.
28. Collier, R.	Thorndon Quay.
29. Collins, Jas.	Thorndon Quay
30. Cooper W. A.	Te Aro.
31. Curtis, Geo.	Tinakori Road.
32. Davis, Ed.	Hawkestone Street.
33. Davis, Rowland	Lambton Quay.
34. Dimond, John	Tinakori Road.
35. Dorset, John	Lambton Quay.
36. Duck, J.	Ghuznee Street.
37. Duffield, G.	Berhampore.
38. Durie, David	Lambton Quay.
39. Edwards, G.	Hawkestone Street.
40. Evans, M.	Te Aro.
41. Evans, John	Thorndon Flat.
42. Featherston, I. E.	Terrace.
43. Fellingham, G.	Woolcombe Street.
44. Ferguson, John	Te Aro.
45. Fisher, Wm.	Willis Street.
46. Fitchett, John	Bolton Street.
47. Fitzherbert, W.	Farish Street.
48. Ford, Jas.	Te Aro.
49. Forster, J. R.	Willis Street.
50. Fox, Ed.	Hill Street.

– 109 –

51. Fuller, John	Manners Street.
52. Gower, John	Wright Street.
53. Guthrie, Thos.	Willis Street.
54. Guyton, Wm.	Te Aro.
55. Hansard, J. T.	Manners Street.
56. Hanson, R. D.	Terrace.
57. Hay, Wm.	Te Aro.
58. Hendry, Thos.	Cuba Street.
59. Hewitt, Alf	Lambton Quay.
60. Hill, H. St.	Hawkestone Street.
61. Hort, A.	Abel Smith Street.
62. Hort, A., Junr.	Te Aro.
63. Hort, Alfd.	Te Aro.
64. Houghton, Robt.	Willis Street.
65. Hume, Peter	Willis Street.
66. Hunter, Geo.	Willis Street.
67. Isaac, David	Lambton Quay.
68. Jenkins, Robt.	Manners Street.
69. Johnson, David	Te Aro.
70. Johnson, Ed.	Lambton Quay.
71. Johnson, John	Lambton Quay.
72. Johnson, Wm.	Manners Street.
73. Kelham, Jas.	Mt. Albyn.
74. Kemble, Robt.	Murphy Street.
75. Kennedy, Thos	Te Aro.
76. Knox, F. J.	Willis Street.
77. Langdon, R.	Herbert Street.
78. Levin, Nat	Lambton Quay.
79. Levy, Sol.	Mount Cook.
80. Lewis, Dav.	Tinakori Road.
81. London, H.	Terrace.
82. Lloyd, John	Lambton Quay.
83. Lyall, Alex.	Lambton Quay.
84. Lyon, Wm.	Lambton Quay.
85. McCarthy, J.	Te Aro.
86. McKenzie, T.	Ghuznee Street.
87. McLaggan, J.	Terrace.
88. McNally, Jas.	Lambton Quay.
89. Mitchell, F.	Lambton Quay.
90. Monsheer, C.	Lambton Quay.
91. Moore, Geo.	Lambton Quay.
92. Muir, J. Wm.	Manners Street.
93. Michol, Wm.	Pipitea Pah.
94. Norgrove, Wm.	Lambton Quay.
95. Omeara, Timy.	Park Street.
96. Park, Robt.	Terrace.
97. Partridge, T. M.	Te Aro.
98. Penny, C. M.	Te Aro.
99. Pharazin, C.	Pipitea Pah.
100. Pike, Wm.	Thorndon Flat.
101. Pilcher, S.	Wright Street.
102. Pratt, T. D.	Te Aro.
103. Prince, Ed.	Tinakori Road.
104. Rae, Thos.	Lambton Quay.
105. Reading, J. B.	Terrace.
106. Reid, Alex	Te Aro.
107. Reid, H.	Lambton Quay.
108. Rhodes, W. B.	Te Aro.
109. Richardson, T.	Willis Street.
110. Roberts, Jas.	Thorndon Flat.
111. Robertson, A.	Willis Street.
112. Roe, Ed. S.	Manners Street.
113. Roe, Ed., Junr.	Manners Street.
114. Roots, John	Thorndon Flat.
115. Ross, Hugh	Lambton Quay.
116. Saint, Thos.	Manners Street.
117. Sayers, B.	Lambton Quay.
118. Scott, Geo.	Will.
119. Sharp, Chas.	Terrace.
120. Shelton, Wm.	Lambton Quay.
121. Sheppard, Wm. D.	Terrace.
122. Squib, C. H.	Herbert Street.
123. Stacey, J.	Thorndon Flat.
124. Stafford, Ed.	Lambton Quay.
125. Stevens, C.	Thorndon Flat.
126. Stokes, J. M.	Woolcombe Street.
127. Stratford, G. A.	Lambton Quay.
128. Strang, R. R.	Woolcombe Street.
129. Suisted, C.	Lambton Quay.
130. Sutton, R.	Lambton Quay.
131. Taine, Jas.	Lambton Quay.
132. Tomlin, John	Hobson Street.
133. Vavasour, Wm.	Thorndon Flat.
134. Villiers, Wm.	Ghuznee Street.
135. Vincent, W. E.	Ghuznee Street.
136. Wade, J.	Te Aro.
137. Waitt, Robt.	Te Aro.
138. Wallace, John	Lambton Quay.
139. Wallace, J. H.	Lambton Quay.
140. Wallace, W. E.	Te Aro.
141. Ward, Jas.	Te Aro
142. Waters, Geo.	Te Aro
143. Waterson, J.	Thorndon Flat.
144. Watt, J.	Tinakori Road.
145. Watson, T. H.	Thorndon Flat.
146. Welsh, H.	Lambton Quay.
147. Whabby, T.	Tinakori Road.
148. White, J.	Willis Street.
149. Wilson, J.	Willis Street.
150. Woodward, J.	Hawkestone Street.
151. Yule, John	Te Aro.
152. Yule, Moses	Te Aro.

It appears that although 350 persons paid the free of £1 Os. Od, only 152 names were printed.

Municipal Council, 1842.

Returned at the first Election of Aldermen for the Borough of Wellington.

Mayor.

George Hunter, Willis St., Merchant

273 votes.

Aldermen

William Lyon, Lambton Qy., Storekeeper	237 votes.
William Fitzherbert, Farish St., Merchant	220 votes.
John Wade, Te Aro, Auctioneer	212 votes.
George Scott, Willis St., Carpenter	196 votes.
F. A. Molesworth, Hutt River, Farmer	182 votes.
John Dorset, Lambton Qy., Surgeon	176 votes.
Robert Waitt, Te Aro, Merchant	164 votes.
William Guyton, Te Aro, Merchant	155 votes.
Abraham Hort, Te Aro, Merchant	155 votes.
Edward Johnson, Lambton Qy., Merchant	151 votes.
Robert Jenkins, Manners St., Publican	149 votes.

Reserve List.
Out of which all Extraordinary Vacancies were to be supplied.

John Howard Wallace, Merchant, Lambton Quay

144 votes.

– 110 –

Richard Davis Hanson, Solicitor, Wellington	126 votes.
Wm. Anthony Cooper, Carpenter, Te Aro	125 votes.
Edward Daniell, Gentleman, Te Aro	124 votes.
Thos. M. Machattie, Merchant, Lambton Qy.	122 votes.
Henry Taylor, Storekeeper, Willis St.	117 votes.
(N.Z. Journal, 18th March, 1843, p. 66.)

The Corporation Ordinance was disallowed soon after the Election because it placed the power of establishing beacons and lighthouses in the hands of the Corporation.

The only lands vested in the Corporation of Wellington were the belt reserved round the town for ornament and recreation, and the land which might be reclaimed from the sea.

The Municipality of Wellington had been in existence nearly a year when this disallowance put an end to its operations. After the death of Mr. Hunter, Mr. Wm. Guyton had been elected Mayor. No taxes were imposed. Measures were passed for the preservation of the town belt, formations of markets and slaughter-houses, maintenance of roads and streets and other useful local purposes. Meetings which were well attended were held twice a week at 10 o'clock a.m.

The funds consisted entirely of fees paid on the registration of voters (Burgess Roll), in October, 1842, amounting to £370 12 6d. This sum was spent as follows:— £118 for roads and street repairs; £15 rent for Town Hall (Exchange); £50 for Town Surveyor's salary; £42 15s. for Town Clerk; £7 for messengers; £37 for constables; £8 for making up a rate book; £2 10s. for engraving a Borough Seal; £5 5s. for large map of the beach frontage; £12 12s. for law expenses; and £72 for printing and stationery from the two newspaper offices. (Wakefield's Adventure, p.p. 689–692.)

The undermentioned ships, with cargo and passengers, were among the shipping arrivals during 1841:—

“Clifford”: Messrs. E. Cording; J. H., J., and E. Cook; J. Watson, senr. and junr.; D. G. and R. Cook (Brett).

“Clifton”: Messrs. J. Harris; C. Howe;—Weatherley; J. Bills, Chitty; R. Collins; T. and W. B. Howe: G. K. Smith, Surgeon; M. Stratford; W. Mosday; J. Kibblewhite. (N.Z. Journal, 27th Nov., 1841.)

“Clydeside”: Messrs. R. Scott; Summers; Strang; Todd, Imrie; D. Gallan; R. Dickie; T. Duncanson; K. Mathieson.

H.M.S. “Driver.”

“Elbe,” of New York, wrecked 15th December, 1841.

The barque “Winwick” was wrecked at Lyall Bay (or False Bay). One account states that the captain mistook Lyall Bay for Port Nicholson and ran in boldly, but finding his error, let go his anchor and held on for some time. Meetings re the two wrecks were held on the 11th and 12th December, 1841, and a resolution was passed that a temporary lighthouse be erected. Messrs. J. H. Wallace, J. Wade. A. Ludlam, J. C. Crawford, Evans, Molesworth, Waitt, Wicksteed, Guyton, and others attended.

“Eleanor,” Capt. Holderness. In 1841 destroyed by fire.

“Gem,” 27th September, 1841: Messrs. Bell, Ankatell and Arrowsmith.

The “Chelydra” departed for Auckland with soldiers and mechanics. Mr. D. Sinclair was a passenger.