WESTON, THOMAS SHAILER (1836-1912) was the son of John James Weston (1806-57), a printer, who came to Taranaki in the Mariner in 1850 intending to start a newspaper. Educated privately in London, the youth completed his studies in New Zealand and became a barrister and solicitor (1861), practising in New Plymouth till 1863, then at Invercargill and at Auckland from 1864 till 1873, when he was appointed district judge at Napier. He held the same post on the West Coast from 1874 till his retirement in 1880, when he practised again in Christchurch.

He married (1867) Maria Cracroft, daughter of Henry Hill (Auckland). Weston represented Grey Valley in Parliament (1881) and Inangahua (1881-83), when he resigned. He was twice chairman of the North Canterbury education board, and was a governor of Canterbury College (1894-1902) and sometime chairman. In 1875 he acted, with Richmond Beetham, as a commission to inquire into the West Coast colliery reserves, and he was a member of the commission on the salaries of primary school teachers. Weston was retained by the Government in 1863 to defend the Maori murderers of Lieut Tragett and Dr Hope, and in 1865 to defend the murderer of Hamlin. He died on 15 Oct 1912.

Who's Who N.Z., 1908. Portrait: Taranaki Hist.

Reference: Volume 2, page 245

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