Walter Bolton, a 68-year-old Whanganui farmer, became the last person executed in New Zealand.
Justice System
Events In History
26 October 1942
The Women Jurors Act provided for women aged between 25 and 60 to have their names placed on the jury list on the same basis as men – if they so desired.
30 October 1865
The Native Land Court was one of the key products of the Native Lands Act 1865. It enabled the conversion of traditional communal landholdings into individual titles, making it much easier for Pākehā to purchase Māori land.
Articles
Maungatapu murders, 1866
The 'Burgess gang' murdered and thieved their way around the South Island during the 1860s. Their most notorious crime was five killings over two days in June 1866, on the Maungatapu track near Nelson. Now you can read their story in a virtual comic book. Read the full article
Page 5 - The trial
Deposition proceedings against the gang began on 2 August 1866 amid great excitement. Only now was it revealed that Sullivan had informed on the
Page 6 - The executions
Members of the Nelson Volunteers surrounded the gaol on the morning of the execution to ensure that 'good order was maintained' by the
Page 7 - Aftermath
When Joseph Sullivan returned to Hokitika to give evidence about the robbery of the Hokitika police camp and the murder of George Dobson, a mob called for him to be
Page 8 - Further information
Further reading and links to information about the Maungatapu
Wahine disaster
This April marks the 45th anniversary of the sinking of the ferry Wahine. With more than 50 lives lost, this was New Zealand's worst modern maritime disaster. The Wahine’s demise on 10 April 1968 also heralded a new era in local television, as pictures of the disaster were beamed into living rooms around the country. Read the full article
Page 4 - Court of inquiry
The court of inquiry that met 10 weeks after the sinking pinpointed the build-up of water in the vehicle deck as the reason the ferry finally
Erebus disaster
On 28 November 1979, 237 passengers and 20 crew were killed when Air New Zealand Flight TE901 crashed into Mt Erebus, Antarctica. The tragedy was followed by a demanding recovery operation and a raging debate over who or what was to blame Read the full article
Page 6 - Finding the cause
Following the death of so many people, it was not surprising that official investigations of the tragedy sparked debate and
Biographies
William Richmond was a lawyer, Minister in Edward Stafford’s Parliament, and judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.
John Salmond was a lawyer, university lecturer, solicitor-general and judge of the Supreme Court.
Frederick Chapman was a lawyer and ethnologist who served as a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.
Main image: Frederick Chapman
Frederick Chapman was a lawyer and ethnologist who served as a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
