Lower Hutt City Charter, 1941

It was the rule then that once a town had a population of 20,000 it could petition for city status and Lower Hutt didn’t hesitate. Lower Hutt first petitioned to be a city on 15th October 1940 (with a similarly ornate document, which the Archive holds, being sent to the Governor General).

The granting of the charter was marked by a parade and the publication of Lance Hall’s official history “Lower Hutt Past and Present”.

The charter came to the Archives via the War Memorial Library where it was on display for a number of years. It was retired to the archives in order to prevent the hand-painted watercolours fading any further. (Ref: Arch 71317)

A beautiful document, with gold foil and hand-painted Pohutakawa and Kowhai flowers, its virtual form doesn’t do it credit. You’ll just have to come in and see the real thing!

Lance Halls' book is available through the Research Centre at Petone Library.