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 certificates for marriages were not required before 1885, nor was the registration of death compulsory until the same year, 1885. As official registers prior to 1886 are not available, search has been made for church registers, but only two entries of earlier date than 1868 have been found.

On 15th October, 1867, Mr. J. B. Bennett, Registrar-General, wrote to the Colonial Secretary that: “The Rev. Stephen Hallum, Roman Catholic Clergyman at Charleston (Pakihi) has written to me strongly urging that a Registrar under the Marriage and Registration Acts should be appointed for that place. He represents that, at present, births and deaths are not registered, and great inconvenience is experienced as to marriages”; adding that “the Resident Magistrate is disposed to undertake the duties of Registrar.” The Superintendent of the Province was asked to suggest boundaries for a new district.

On 14th January, 1868, the Rev. Hallum wrote direct to His Excellency the Governor:

Charleston, 14th January, 1868.

“I have the honour to inform your Excellence that the population of Charleston is greatly suffering since a long time for the want of a Resident Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. To go to the Buller is the cause of great expense, and a great loss of time. Westport, Brighton, Cobden, Greymouth, have their Resident Registrar. We don’t know for what reason Charleston, which is improving every day, should be deprived of such an advantage.

“If the reason is that Charleston wants to be acknowledged as a separate district I hope that the interest you take for all the country of New Zealand, and for the populated parts of the country, will induce your Excellence to take soon the proper means to provide Charleston with a Resident Registrar, and to do justice to a population that will be greatly grateful to you for that advantage.

I have the honour to be of your Excellence, the humble, obedient servant, Rev. Stephen Hallum, C.P., Charleston.”