Courthouse
This is the only courthouse to be built in Rangiora. Constructed of brick and limestone, this building was opened in 1893 and has been a “growth industry” ever since. On 24 September 2008 there were 103 cases set down to be heard.
It was designed to house the Magistrates Court, which, until then, sat in the Rangiora and Mandeville Road Board office, which is on the site of the Graeme Smith Unichem Pharmacy in High Street.
The contract to build the dedicated courthouse was won by G Thompson for the sum of £717.
William Crichton, who worked in the Government Architects Office and designed a very similar courthouse in Kaiapoi, is believed to have also designed this building.
The building has been extended twice and continues to serve the needs of the district, despite threats to close it. The Ministry of Justice had wanted to transfer cases to Christchurch but the community protested that justice for petty crimes should be dealt with in their own community.
This symbolised the strong desire of this North Canterbury town to maintain a separate identity.
Magistrates Court Rangiora
Excerpts from Criminal Record Book 1864 – 1865
8 December 1864
(first ever entry) | Offence – Cutting Timber on Crown Land |
| Regina by Police vs E B Walker | Penalty | Fined £1 |
| | Summons Fee | 2s 6p |
| | Mileage | 18s |
| 27 March 1865 | Offence – Assault |
| Regina by Police vs Paul Bain | Penalty | Dismissed |
| Prosecution to pay costs | £1 15s 2p |
| 27 March 1865 | Offence – Abusive Language |
| Regina by Police vs R Chapman | Penalty | Dismissed with caution |
| 18 May 1865 | Offence – Rescuing cattle when lawfully seized for the purpose of being impounded |
| Regina by Police vs John Wheeler | Penalty | Fined 5s |
| Summons Fee | 2s 6p |
| Costs | 2s |
| 1 June 1865 | Offence – Stealing timber from wreck |
| Regina by Police vs Tom Hayman | Penalty | Committed for trial |
| 13 July 1865 | Offence – Having possession of an unregistered dog |
| Regina by Police vs J P King | Penalty | Fined £1 |
| Summons Fee | 2s 6p |
| Mileage | 16s |
| 13 July 1865 | Offence – Driving stage coach without a license |
| Regina by Police vs E B Walker | Penalty | Fined £2 |
| Summons Fee | 2s 6p |
| 9 October 1865 | Offence – Permitting stallion to cover in public place |
| Regina by Police vs James Cooper | Penalty | Dismissed with a caution |
| 15 October 1866 | Offence – Lunacy |
| Charles XXXX vs Martha XXXX | Penalty | Committed to Lunatic Asylum |