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WCC, City Solicitor's Department files
Descriptive Data
Archives Identifier00063Date Range1908-1994DescriptionThis series contains records created by the City Solicitor’s Department from 1910-1989. The City Solicitors Department dealt with all legal work for Council, and was involved in almost all facets of council activity. The broad range of subjects covered and the involvement of the City Solicitor in the high level affairs of council mean that the City Solicitors files contain a wealth of important and valuable information relating to Wellington City.
The majority of the files document legal transactions related to the Council’s property interests; this includes leases, the sale, purchase and sub-division of council land and land use rights such as easements and right-of-ways. As a result there is a degree of overlap between this series and the Town Clerks and City Engineers file series (Series 00001 and 00009 respectively); although the City Solicitors files tend to contain the final legal documents relating to an event or process. The series also contains records related to litigation involving Council, legal opinions and accident files involving Council employees.
The files are arranged in an annual single number format, meaning that files are named according to the year of their creation followed by a consecutive number indicating the order of their creation within that year, for example 1910/1, 1910/2 and so on. These numbers were often reversed when being referred to in another file, for example 2/10 for 1910/2. The system was established in 1910 and used until 1989 when the City Solicitors and the Property Department were amalgamated into a single unit called the Legal and Property Department. At this time all current City Solicitors files were renumbered and incorporated into the new series called Legal and Property files (Series 64), although in a small minority of cases City Solicitor's files were added to up until 1994.
The major file groups in the series are:
- Lease files: these contain copies of agreements for the leasing of council land, correspondence between the leaseholders and the City Solicitor, and plans of the lease area.
- Subdivision files: Copies of legal documents and correspondence between the City Solicitor, applicants and the Town Clerk related to subdivision.
- Sale/ purchase of land: legal documents and correspondence related to either the sale or purchase of land by council. The content and size of these files varies depending on whether any legal issues arose during the process. The file titles “sale of land” and “purchase of land” have been used synonymously to refer to someone buying land from the council, thus making it difficult to tell whether a file relates to the sale or the purchase of land and whether the purchaser is Wellington City Council or a member of the public.
- Town planning appeals: relating to individual appeals to the Town Planning Appeal Board under the Town and Country Planning Act 1953. They contain copies of the original appeal, correspondence between the parties concerned and a copy the board’s decision.
- Wayleave and Private-way files: Copies of wayleave and private-way agreements between council and the public.
- Bylaw prosecutions: case files for offences, the main categories retained relate to building, plumbing and drainage. Accident files relating to council employees or accidents involving public/ WCC interaction.
- Contract files: copies of contracts for significant projects such as the construction of new buildings. Files also contain plans.
- Litigation files: files related to legal cases involving Council.Quantity (Linear Metres)115.75MediumFileSystem of ArrangementAnnual Single numberCollection TypeWellington City Council
The majority of the files document legal transactions related to the Council’s property interests; this includes leases, the sale, purchase and sub-division of council land and land use rights such as easements and right-of-ways. As a result there is a degree of overlap between this series and the Town Clerks and City Engineers file series (Series 00001 and 00009 respectively); although the City Solicitors files tend to contain the final legal documents relating to an event or process. The series also contains records related to litigation involving Council, legal opinions and accident files involving Council employees.
The files are arranged in an annual single number format, meaning that files are named according to the year of their creation followed by a consecutive number indicating the order of their creation within that year, for example 1910/1, 1910/2 and so on. These numbers were often reversed when being referred to in another file, for example 2/10 for 1910/2. The system was established in 1910 and used until 1989 when the City Solicitors and the Property Department were amalgamated into a single unit called the Legal and Property Department. At this time all current City Solicitors files were renumbered and incorporated into the new series called Legal and Property files (Series 64), although in a small minority of cases City Solicitor's files were added to up until 1994.
The major file groups in the series are:
- Lease files: these contain copies of agreements for the leasing of council land, correspondence between the leaseholders and the City Solicitor, and plans of the lease area.
- Subdivision files: Copies of legal documents and correspondence between the City Solicitor, applicants and the Town Clerk related to subdivision.
- Sale/ purchase of land: legal documents and correspondence related to either the sale or purchase of land by council. The content and size of these files varies depending on whether any legal issues arose during the process. The file titles “sale of land” and “purchase of land” have been used synonymously to refer to someone buying land from the council, thus making it difficult to tell whether a file relates to the sale or the purchase of land and whether the purchaser is Wellington City Council or a member of the public.
- Town planning appeals: relating to individual appeals to the Town Planning Appeal Board under the Town and Country Planning Act 1953. They contain copies of the original appeal, correspondence between the parties concerned and a copy the board’s decision.
- Wayleave and Private-way files: Copies of wayleave and private-way agreements between council and the public.
- Bylaw prosecutions: case files for offences, the main categories retained relate to building, plumbing and drainage. Accident files relating to council employees or accidents involving public/ WCC interaction.
- Contract files: copies of contracts for significant projects such as the construction of new buildings. Files also contain plans.
- Litigation files: files related to legal cases involving Council.Quantity (Linear Metres)115.75MediumFileSystem of ArrangementAnnual Single numberCollection TypeWellington City Council
Access Information
Restriction StatusOpen
Related Agencies
Controlling or Creating AgencyLegal and Property Management DepartmentRelationship Date Range1985-12 March 1993
Related Series
Related SeriesWCC, City Solicitor's miscellaneous records
WCC, City Solicitor's Department files. Archives Online, accessed 18/08/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/1566