North Sydney (formerly St Leonards) Courthouse, 1890

Evening News, Tue 30 Jan 1883 ¹

ST LEONARDS REQUIREMENTS.

    A deputation, consisting of a number of gentlemen representing St Leonards, accompanied by Messrs BO Holtermann and RB Smith, M’sLA, yesterday waited upon the Minister for Justice, the Postmaster-General, and the Minister for Lands (separately), with reference to a Court-house, Court of Petty Sessions, new post and telegraph offices, and other matters affecting St Leonards. The deputation recommended that the Government should build a court-house on the site of the present watch-house and adjoining land. They also requested that a new post and telegraph office might be erected, and requested that a Court of Petty Sessions might be immediately established. Votes had been placed on the estimates the deputation said, for the court-house, but had lapsed, but the amount was now upon the estimates as a re-vote. The Postmaster-General said if Parliament passed the money he would press the work on immediately. Some complaints were then brought before the Minister with regard to the delivery of letters, and these he promised to inquire into, with a view to the rectification of the matters complained of. The Ministers of Justice and Lands also gave a satisfactory reply to the deputation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 30 Jan 1883 ²

DEPUTATION.
———◦———
ST LEONARDS REQUIREMENTS.

    A deputation of gentlemen representing St Leonards, accompanied by Mr BO Holtermann, MLA, and Mr RB Smith, MLA, waited upon the Minister for Justice, (Hon HE Cohen), the Postmaster-General (Hon FA Wright), and the Minister for Lands (Hon JS Farnell) separately yesterday morning, with reference to a courthouse, court of petty sessions, a new post and telegraph office, for St Leonards, and several matters relating to land in that district. They recommended that the Government should built a courthouse on the site of the present watchhouse and two sites adjoining—one a site reserved for a town hall, and another occupied by the School of Arts, which the Government should resume. They mentioned that the authorities of the School of Arts were prepared to give up the site on which their present building stood for one opposite, which had been purchased by the Government for a post and telegraph office, but which had been found unsuitable for that purpose; that the Borough Council of St Leonards were prepared to relinquish the site reserved for the Town Hall, and that the four municipal councils—St Leonards, East St Leonards, Victoria, and North Willoughby—had agreed upon the site suggested for the courthouse as being the most central. The deputation also requested, in connection with this matter, that a court of petty sessions might be established at St Leonards immediately. With regard to the courthouse and the court of petty sessions, the Minister for Justice said the importance of St Leonards justified the representations made by the deputation, and, although he could not promise to place on the Estimates about to be laid before Parliament a sum for the purpose of a site for a courthouse, he would make the necessary inquiry into the matter, with a view to meet the wants of the district. Provision would be made on the present Estimates for the establishment of a court of petty sessions at St Leonards, and, if the money were voted by Parliament, steps would be taken to have the court opened as soon as possible. In relation to the post and telegraph, the deputation explained to the Postmaster-General that the present building was quite inadequate to meet the requirements of the district. A sum of £3125 was voted some time ago by Parliament for the new building, and subsequently there was an additional vote of £975, making a total of £4100. These votes lapsed, however, and the amount was now upon the Estimates as a revote. Delay had been caused to a great extent by diversity of opinion as to a suitable site. The Postmaster-General said, in reply, that he could not do anything until the Estimates passed Parliament, and if Parliament voted the money he would press the matter on immediately. He promised to visit St Leonards and inspect a site suggested as suitable for the new building. The Postmaster-General’s attention was called to the fact that if a letter addressed to a house 100 yards from the local post office was not posted before 11 am, it would not be delivered until next morning, and must in the meantime go to Sydney and back; also that telegrams from Sydney to St Leonards took from two to three hours in transit. These matters the Minister promised to remedy, and he showed the deputation a memo, made by him some days before to provide for the keeping open of suburban telegraph offices until 10 o’clock at night. The Minister for Lands was next interviewed, and he was requested—1st, to prevent the sale of any portion of the Field of Mars Common, which might form a part of the catchment area of the proposed Lane Cove water supply scheme, until the latter was decided upon; 2nd, to carry out a promise made when previously in office, that the heads of Careening Cove and Neutral Bay, now fast becoming nuisances, should be reclaimed; 3rd, to allow the trustees of St Leonards reserve an amount of public money for its improvements somewhat in proportion to the votes for Wentworth Park and other suburban recreation grounds; 4th, that the Government would prevent the alienation of any portion of the 100 feet reserve along the northern waters of Port Jackson until it be decided what portion, if any, may be required for wharfs or other public purposes. Mr Farnell stated that he had not been fully apprised of the objects of the deputation, and asked that they be placed before him in writing at a subsequent date.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 23 Apr 1887 ³

MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.
———◦———

…

ST LEONARDS.

    At the fortnightly meeting of the St Leonards Municipal Council on Tuesday evening last, the Mayor, Captain Jenkins, presided. Aldermen A Armstrong, J Armstrong, Bell, Eaton, Massey, Hagon, and Cowles were also present. A letter was received from the Under Secretary, Department of Lands, bearing upon the subject of a site being granted by the Government for new local-council in lieu of that resumed for the erection of a court-house in Lane Cove-road. The council were informed that Mr Secretary Garrett is prepared to recommend to the Government the purchase of a site in Miller-street, if the owner will agree to sell the property, and will name a price for approval.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evening News, Mon 5 Dec 1887 ⁴

SUBURBAN NEWS.
————
NORTH SHORE.

…
    Anxious inquiries are being made as to when the new courthouse, completed several months, will be opened.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 22 Jan 1889 ⁵

MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.
———◦———

…

ST LEONARDS.

    The bi-monthly meeting of this council was held on Tuesday last, there being present the Mayor (Alderman Jenkins), in the chair; Aldermen Bell, Cowles, Clarke, Eaton, Hagan, Punch, Phillips, and Stephenson.
…
    A letter was received from the Works Department, agreeing to repair the pavement in Lane Cove-road, in front of the new courthouse and post office, and the Mayor was authorised to repair the kerbing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evening News, Thu 30 Jan 1890 ⁶

NORTH SHORE COURTHOUSE.
————
THE OPENING.
————

    The opening of the new courthouse at St Leonards took place this morning. Several local JsP and other gentlemen were invited to be present. Messes D Munro, Captain Jenkins, J Hipwood, James Forsyth, M McMahon, GT Clarke, J Davies, and C Woolcott occupied seats, Mr B Lee, DSM, said he had great pleasure in commencing business in this magnificent building, and was much pleased to see such a number of gentlemen present. It was certainly an immense improvement on the other court, and he again said he had much pleasure in presiding and opening the building for the use of the public of North Shore.

    The courthouse is a beautiful building, neatly fitted up, all the rooms being well furnished. There are two courts in the building, charge and summons; the latter will not be used for some time, as all the business is transacted in the larger court. The public office is a very large room, and conveniently fitted up. In fact nothing more is wanted to make everything complete.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evening News, Thu 18 Dec 1890 ⁷

THIRD EDITION
———◦———
BREVITIES.
————

…
    The courthouse and police station of St Leonards will in future be known as the North Sydney Courthouse and Police Station.

---

¹     Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Tue 30 Jan 1883, p. 3.

²     The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 30 Jan 1883, p. 5.

³     The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 23 Apr 1887, p. 11.

⁴     Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Mon 5 Dec 1887, p. 3.

⁵     The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 22 Jan 1889, p. 5.

⁶     Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Thu 30 Jan 1890, p. 5.

⁷     Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Thu 18 Dec 1890, p. 5.

---