BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES
On 20th March, 1868, the Colonial Secretary informed the Superintendent that it had been represented that the Cobden district (the Registrar of which resided at Brighton) should be divided into two districts; and asked him to furnish descriptions of the boundaries for Charleston, and the Cobden-Brighton, new districts, adding: “With respect to the Registrars, Mr. C. Broad, new Registrar for Cobden, would probably be Registrar for ‘Brighton’; and the name of Mr. J. R. Dutton, R.M., has been suggested for ‘Cobden.’”
On 5th May, 1868, the Superintendent recommended the following boundaries for the Charleston district: “Commencing at the mouth of the river Tikopihi on the sea coast and by that stream to Mount Faraday, thence by the watershed to the summit of the Buckland Peaks, thence to the head of the Totara, and down that stream to the sea coast.” The “river Tikopihi” was the stream later known as the Four-mile River.
The Superintendent recommended the following appointments for Registrars: Charles Broad, R.M. for Brighton; Charles Hugh Webb Bowen (Clerk to R.M. and Warden) for Charleston; James Roger Dutton, R.M., for Cobden.
On 31st August, 1868, a Proclamation redefined the Charleston district as follows: “Commencing at Razor Back Point near the mouth of the Punakiakia River on the sea coast; thence in a straight line due east to the top of the Paparoa mountains; thence following the watershed to the summit of Mount Faraday; thence in a straight line to the head of the Totara, and down that river to the sea coast.” Charles Broad was appointed Registrar for Charleston as from 1st September, 1868.
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