Canterbury, New Zealand, Provincial Rolls, 1868-1874

Electoral rolls for Canterbury province, New Zealand years 1868 to 1874 are contained in this collection. The rolls were compiled during election years and include the names of individuals from each electoral district who were qualified to vote for the provincial superintendent and members of the provincial council. Eligible voters were male British subjects who owned property and were age 21 or older.

The Province of Canterbury was constituted in 1853 and occupied the central part of the South Island. The province extended from the east to the west coasts and was bounded by the Hurunui River to the north and the Waitaki River to the south. In 1868, the County of Westland was formed as a distinct local government entity and Canterbury's western boundary was the crest-line of the Southern Alps. The New Zealand provincial system of government was abolished on 1 November 1876 and replaced by local government counties and boroughs.

Using Electoral Roll Records:

Electoral rolls are valuable "census substitutes" and they become even more important in countries like New Zealand where census records are not available. Electoral rolls were also published fairly consistently nationwide and can provide a useful way of tracking individuals over time and place.

Information in this database includes:

• Number
• Name of Voter
• Address
• Qualification
• Property Description

Rolls may also be browsed by surname, district, and year.