A Magistrate’s Court was established at Ladismith on 23 October 1876 (Government Gazette No 5624 dated 24 October 1876, Proclamation No 75 dated 23 October 1876).
A magistrate’s court was established at Steynsburg on 1 February 1877 (Government Gazette No 5655 dated 2 February 1877, Proclamation No 18 dated 1 February 1877), but was abolished on 23 May 1878 (Government Gazette No 5804 dated 24 May 1878, Proclamation No 51 dated 23 May 1878). The magistrate’s court at Steynsburg was re-established on 17 June 1886 (Government Gazette No 6744 dated 18 June 1886, Proclamation No 90 dated 17 June 1886).
Mental disease legislation was re-drafted when the Lunacy Act, 1891 (Act No 25 of 1891) replaced prior legislation. The Valkenberg Mental Hospital was opened on 20 February 1891 for mental cases in buildings that had formerly been the Porter Reformatory. In 1894 the Valkenberg Lunatic Asylum Act, 1894 (Act No 17 of 1894) was passed, which authorized the Government to spend £40 000 upon the construction and equipping of the building which is the present-day main block of the institution.
Queenstown Mental Hospital was established in 1922. It was the only hospital at that time built specifically to accommodate the mentally ill. Within 15 years the hospital was expanded to include vegetable gardens, a dairy and a butchery. The hospital admitted both whites and non-whites in separate sections
A Magistrate’s court for the district of Stockenström was established on 8 March 1848 (Government Gazette No 2206, dated 9 March 1848, Proclamation dated 8 March 1848).
The Magistrate of Stockenström was also appointed Native Commissioner as from 16 January 1942 (Government Gazette No 2985 dated 16 January 1942, Government Notice No 8 dated 10 December 1941).
A magistrate court for the district of Riversdale was established as from 8 March 1848 (Government Gazette no 2206 dated 9 March 1848, Proclamation dated 8 March 1848).
Port Nolloth was created a separate magisterial division in 1874. This magistrate’s office was closed in 1918 when the district was abolished as a separate magisterial district and incorporated in the district of Namaqualand.
On 15 February 1918 a Special Justice of the Peace for Port Nolloth was created in terms of Act No 10 of 1876 (Cape of Good Hope) entitled an “Act to improve the Administration of Justice in places distant from as seat of Magistracy”. The Special Justice of the Peace was stationed at Port Nolloth.
As far as could be ascertained, this position remained unchanged up to February 1953 when an Assistant Magistrate was appointed for Port Nolloth.
In view of the fact that the office of the Special Justice of the Peace for Port Nolloth was created in terms of Act No 10 of 1876 (Cape of Good Hope), this office, although under the jurisdiction of the Magistrate of Namaqualand (Springbok) never formed an integral part of that office.
In the latter part of 1929 the office of the Special Justice of the Peace was destroyed by a fire and with it all the records.
A magistrate’s court was established at Philipstown as from 8 March 1886 (Government Gazette No 6702, dated 26 February 1886, Proclamation No 25 dated 25 February 1886).
The Divisional Council of Knysna was constituted on 21 July 1862 in terms of Proclamation No 47 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 3379 dated 22 July 1862).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Knysna was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of George and Mossel Bay to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Outeniqua (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061, 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174, 18 July 1979).
