Courthouse at Akaroa pegged for restoration

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 22

Courthouse at Akaroa pegged for restoration

By

GARRY ARTHUR

AKAROA’s old courthouse, which has stood empty for the last 20 years, is to be restored and refurnished with old items left over from the Christchurch courts, and reopened in time for the 150th New Zealand anniversary celebrations next year. No trials are expected. Instead, the historic courthouse will become part of the Akaroa Museum, which is right next door in Akaroa’s main street, the Rue Lavaud.

The present building dates back to 1878, but Akaroa has had a court since August 11, 1840, soon after Captain Stanley arrived in the harbour aboard the Britomart on orders from Governor Hobson to raise the flag and hold a court, thus establishing British authority and forestalling the French settlers who were heaving over the horizon at the time.

Today the courthouse is virtually empty, except for an impressive bench, a small dock and a witness stand. Mark Cooper, the Justice Department’s courts manager, has offered to help the museum recreate the old courtroom atmosphere by locating some appropriate period furniture. “I’ve got my eye on a witness box that would do very nicely," he says, "and I know where I can get hold of an old royal coat-of-arms.”

Mr Cooper says he has hoped for some time that it would be possible to transform an existing courtroom into a "museum piece,” and welcomes the opportunity to do so at Akaroa. “I share with you your delight in creating an environment which can mutely express our past,” he told the Akaroa Museum’s curator, Steve Lowndes.

The first Akaroa courthouse was built on the waterfront by French carpenters lent for the purpose by Commodore Lavaud. Charles Barrington Robinson was appointed Magistrate in August, 1840 — the first resident magistrate in the South Island. The centennial history of Akaroa notes that he did not have much to do, but that he bought up a lot of land and became embroiled in numerous disputes. He even fought a duel with a Captain Muter at Holmes Bay over some land claims.

John T. Watson, who succeeded him in 1846, is described as having an irritable manner but a kind heart. He had his own ways of obtaining evidence.

When his firewood was being stolen, he drilled a hole in a log and filled it with gunpowder. A few days later a neighbour’s chimney exploded. Watson was not very impressed by the neighbour’s complaint of a plot to wreck his home.

Walter Hlppolyte Pilllet succeeded Mr Watson, and after him came Mr Justin Aylmer, in whose term the present courthouse was built. When he died suddenly in 1885, it was decided that Akaroa no longer needed a resident magistrate, and from that time on, all cases were dealt with by visiting magistrates from Christchurch.

Steve Lowndes says the very last case heard in the old courthouse concerned a couple who broke into a motel room to make use of it, and were caught in flagrante delicto. The Magistrate let them off In honour of the occasion.

Mr Lowndes is looking forward to having use of the large space for special museum displays on various topics for which there has been insufficient space in the present building. He says the idea of restoring the courthouse has the support of the police too, and there is a plan to re-enact the opening of 150 years ago, with life-like models of a colonial magistrate, witnesses and an accused malefactor.

First resident S.I. magistrate