Story: Colonial and provincial government

Oswald Curtis, superintendent of Nelson province

Oswald Curtis, superintendent of Nelson province

The superintendents of the original provinces were elected by voters and this gave them considerable prominence in provincial affairs. Men such as Isaac Featherston (Wellington), William Moorhouse (Canterbury), and William Cargill and James Macandrew (Otago) were, by virtue of the office, among the leading men in their respective provinces. Nelson was one of the smaller provinces and Oswald Curtis (1821–1902), its superintendent from 1867, was not so prominent, although he held office until the abolition of the provinces in 1876 and was also MP for Nelson City from 1866 to 1879.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, General Assembly Library Collection (PAColl-0838)
Reference: F-156-35mm-F

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:

Malcolm McKinnon, 'Colonial and provincial government - Julius Vogel and the abolition of provincial government', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/35489/oswald-curtis-superintendent-of-nelson-province (accessed 12 May 2024)

Story by Malcolm McKinnon, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 6 Oct 2023