Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value The building was designed as a combined government and local body office. It housed originally the Customs, Police, Fire Brigade offices, the Court House, Town Hall and Borough Council Chamber and offices. With so many departments involved there was a protracted period of negotiation over the design of the rooms before work could begin. The Customs Department, for instance, objected to the proposal to house its offices in a room which had only one small window opening into a passage way. After it was opened, a banquet for 112 people was held for which the menu appears in the Borough letter books. The building now houses the Borough Council Chamber and offices, the Town Hall and Public Library. The building carries three plaques. One at the back of the building commemorates the founding of the New Zealand Seaman's Union. The two at the front commemorate the signing of the deed to purchase the Otago Block from the Maoris on July 31st 1844 and the landing of the pioneer settlers from the ship John Wickliffe in March 1848. In the 1840s the site of the two plaques would have been on the foreshore which is now some 100 metres away.

Physical Significance

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: An example of the work done by the Public Works architects in the 1880s at a time when the office had no well-known architect in charge. SIGNIFICANCE OF ARCHITECT/ENGINEER/DESIGNER: The Architect's Branch had been under William Clayton as Colonial Architect until 1877, and he was succeeded by Pierre Burrows. After a review of the Branch, Burrows services were dispensed with in 1884 but plans for the Municipal Chambers were not started until 1885 (Borough Letter book). Burrows was succeeded by a draftsman named Charles Edward Beatson who would have administered the architectural services during the period 1885 to 1887when the plans for the Municipal Chambers were being made and revised (National Archives 1983). TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK SIGNIFICANCE: The Municipal Chambers form a focus for the cross roads in the heart of Port Chalmers where its main street runs up from the wharves. On the other corners are the bluestone Post Office, the classically styled Bank of New Zealand and the two-storied stone Chicks Hotel. Around the corner and beside the Municipal Chambers is the big two storied and double bayed Port Chalmers Hotel of the same style and period.