Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 25 Jun 1887 ¹

IN THE RIVERINA DISTRICT.
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(By Our Travelling Artist Correspondents.)
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DENILIQUIN.

…

NEW COURTHOUSE.

    Among the latest additions to Deniliquin is the handsome [sic]

    This, when finally completed, will probably cost over £13,000. The interior arrangements are all that could be desired, there being a spacious and well-fitted court room and all the numerous rooms needed for the Attorney-General, jurors, and others. Two corridors seven feet wide run through the building. Messrs Hunter and Sons, of Deniliquin, are the contractors for this extensive work. The old courthouse is situated in the main street, near the post-office and lands office. Not far from these is the town hall, of which the townspeople are not unnaturally proud; few colonial municipalities possessing so fine a hall. It was built in 1876, but was partially destroyed by fire, being restored in 1879. The hall is splendidly adapted for entertainments and public meetings, and is ornamented in an elegant and artistic manner sufficiently worth of any metropolitan hall.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 25 Oct 1892 ²

OPENING OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE.
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(By Telegraph.)
(From Our Correspondent.)
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Deniliquin, Monday.

    The Deniliquin Circuit Court was opened at 10 o’clock this morning before his Honor Acting-Justice Backhouse. The building is one of the finest of its kind outside the capitals, and cost upwards of £20,000. It has been in the course of erection for the past seven years, but the work has been several times suspended for various reasons, and it was only by strenuous efforts on the part of the contractors that the edifice is so far finished as to be used for these sittings. Even now there is a good deal remaining to be done—the gas-fittings and other things being still absent. The room in which the court is held is the longest in the colony, not even excepting Sydney, and having a big gallery at the rear it is able to provide sitting accommodation for a large number of the general public. When the court opened it was crowded in every part, a great many ladies being present. During the performance of the opening ceremony Mr O’Neill (the new police magistrate), Mr Chandler (the Mayor), and Mr Vernon (the Colonial Architect) occupied seats with his Honor on the Bench, Mrs Backhouse and Mrs Levien being similarly honoured. Amongst other present were: Sheriff Cowper, Mr Coffey, and Mr Garland, Crown Prosecutors; Mr Wilshire, instructing for the Crown; Mr Want, QC, Mr Wagner, Mr Levien, and Mr Addison (Judge’s Associate). On entering, his Honor caused his commission to be read, and took the oaths of office.

    The Mayor complimented his Honor on his being the first Judge to hold pleas in the new courthouse.

    Mr O’Neill followed in the same strain, and expressed the hope that the same wisdom which had led the Executive to appoint his Honor to hold the Court would, when occasion offered, raise him permanently to the Supreme Court Bench.

    Mr Coffey, after offering his congratulations, facetiously said he hoped that now this splendid courthouse had been finished, the residents would show their appreciation of it by coming there often.

    HIS HONOR, in reply, said he could hardly endorse Mr Coffey’s sentiment, but he hoped the returning prosperity to the district consequent on the promised good harvest would justify the outlay in respect to the Courthouse. He congratulated Mr O’Neill on his arrival to take the chairmanship of the local bench of magistrates. It would have been impossible for the business of the sessions to be done in the old courthouse. Great credit was due to the Sheriff, the Colonial Architect, and the contractors for the expedition with which they had acted.

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The Riverine Grazier, Fri 28 Oct 1892 ³

THE BROKEN HILL CONSPIRACY
CASES.
———◦———
OPENING OF THE DENILIQUIN
COURTHOUSE.
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    The Deniliquin Circuit Court was opened on Monday morning before his Honor Acting-Justice Backhouse. The building is one of the finest of its kind outside the capitals, and cost upwards of £20,000. It has been in course of erection for the past seven years. When the court opened it was crowded in every part, a great many ladies being present. During the performance of the opening ceremony Mr O’Neill (the new police magistrate), Mr Chandler (the Mayor), and Mr Vernon (the colonial architect) occupied seats with his Honor on the Bench, Mrs Backhouse and Mrs Levien being similarly honored.

    The Mayor complimented his Honor on his being the first judge to hold pleas in the new courthouse.

    Mr O’Neill followed in the same strain, and expressing the hope that the same wisdom which had led the Executive to appoint his Honor to hold the Court would, when occasion offered, raise him permanently to the Supreme Court Bench.

    His Honor, in reply, congratulated Mr O’Neill on his arrival to take the chairmanship of the local bench of magistrates. It would have been impossible for the business of the sessions to be done in the old courthouse. Great credit was due to the Sheriff, the Colonial Architect, and the contractors for the expedition with which they had acted.

 

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¹     Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 25 Jun 1887, p. 1328. Emphasis added.

²     The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 25 Oct 1892, p. 5.

³     The Riverine Grazier, Fri 28 Oct 1892, p. 2.

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