Story: Judicial system

Courthouse, Wellington, 1843

Courthouse, Wellington, 1843

An 1843 watercolour by Samuel Brees shows buildings on the Wellington waterfront including, on the right, the courthouse. Courts were established in New Zealand in 1840. In the early days of Pākehā settlement, court buildings were simple structures. This courthouse doubled as a church. Next door to it is the Thistle Inn, which was still standing in 2011, although the court building was long gone.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: B-031-009
Watercolour by Samuel Charles Brees

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Philip A. Joseph and Thomas Joseph, 'Judicial system - What is the judicial system?', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/33929/courthouse-wellington-1843 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Philip A. Joseph and Thomas Joseph, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 11 Oct 2016