Francis Dart Fenton was a pivotal figure in Māori Pākehā relations and the Crown’s policies at a watershed moment in New Zealand history. He served as Chief Judge of the Native Land Court; District Court Judge at Auckland; founder and president of the Auckland choral society; Chairman of the Dominion Board (which led to the formation of the Domain Cricket Ground), an accomplished violinist and a noted viticulturist.
Fenton (known to Māori as Penetana) came to the New Zealand colony in 1850 or 1851. In 1854 he was appointed by Sir George Grey, Governor, to be the Resident Magistrate at Kaipara, and in 1855 he became Native Secretary. Mr Maclean (afterwards Sir. Donald Maclean) was then Chief Commissioner for the Purchase of Native Lands. Whilst in Waikato, in 1857, Mr Fenton wrote a paper describing the political discontent among the natives and calling attention to the extreme danger of the King movement, then commencing.
In 1858 Mr Fenton became Assistant Law Officer of the Crown. He retained that office until the removal of the seat of Government to Wellington in 1864, when he became Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. Finding the Act of 1862 defective, he drew the Act of 1865, which became law, and was the means of causing large quantities of Māori land to pass under Crown title. In 1866 Mr Fenton was called to the Legislative Council but lost his seat on the passing of the Disqualification Act. He became District Judge, as well as Chief Judge of the Native Land Court.
Francis Dart Fenton
Died 1898
Block D Row 25 Plot 001
