Duel in Central Wellington
"A Tragic Waste"

The Colonists brought with them the gentlemanly art of duelling and several incidents took place in the early 1840's. The last of these was fought between Mr William Vitruvius Brewer Esq a Barrister-at-Law and Mr Hugh Ross Esq a Solicitor.

A quarrel surrounding legal differences had followed Mr Brewer's loss of a case in the County Court. Mr Ross had been in court concerning an appeal made against a decision taken by Mr Arthur E. McDonogh, the Police Magistrate. The decision to resolve the dispute saw the two meet in a wooded valley in the area which was once Kumototo Street and is now Bowen Street.

Mr Brewer fired first and sent his shot harmelessley into the air. Ross's aim and purpose appeared, however, to have been more deadly and his ball struck Mr Brewer in the groin. At the sight of Mr Brewer collapsing, apparently dead, the members of the duelling parties absconded only to return later when it was found that he was still alive.

During the first few days following the incident it was expected that Mr Brewer would survive but his condition became worse and continued to deteriorate until, on Monday, March 4th, 1844 at approximately 6pm "Mr Brewer breathed his last".

A coroner's inquest was convened on Tuesday March 5th "hearing the evidence of several witnesses". Upon it's termination, on Thursday the 7th, the coroners verdict, to the surprise of many, was "that the evidence did not prove by whom the wound was inflicted". One wonders at the strength and accuracy of the testimony given by the "several witnesses".

Mr William Vitruvius Brewer had arrived in Wellington in November 1840 from the Bay of Islands and had been in New Zealand since before the arrival of the New Zealand Company in 1839/40. It is only to be wondered at his contribution to this country of ours and any benefits he may have generated had he lived "three score years and ten". Mr Brewer's widow, Isabella Brewer (nee Harrison) departed aboard the ship Bella Marina in early 1845 to return to London but died on the voyage. They had been married less than two and a half years.