On 22 October 1856, many members of the Hulbert family left Bristol on board the Appleton as assisted passengers (i.e. another party paid for their passage, probably the Victorian government) and reached Melbourne on 25 January 1857.

[13][14] On New Year's Eve 1876, Hulbert's shop window was damaged and he advertised a £10 reward for information that would lead to a conviction; The Press even commented on this vandalism.

Of the sections considered by the board, they chose Hulbert's as most suitable because it was located on the route of the so-called Corporation Line, a tram that was proposed for Worcester Street.

[24] Hulbert first stood for election as Christchurch city councillor in September 1879 in the South East Ward on the Ratepayers' Association ticket.

[32] Later in 1881 at the general election in the Christchurch South electorate, Hulbert proposed John Holmes as a candidate.

[36] Hulbert spoke against a resolution by the Local Board of Health to take the sanitary functions off the city council and carry them out by itself.

[41] Later in September 1882, Hulbert was part of a deputation to Mayor Ruddenklau asking him to fill the role for another year.

Hulbert stated that whilst he had been asked himself to stand as mayor, he supported that Ruddenklau serve another term.

[45] Both were nominated for the mayoralty in November 1883,[46] and since both were well-known personalities, the election campaign period was interesting and lively.

[55] From March of the following year, requests were put to Hulbert to contest the 1884 election for Parliament, either in the Stanmore or Christchurch North electorate.

[60][61] Hulbert had a leading role in the discussions about the public library, which had since its earliest days (it was established in 1859 as the Christchurch Mechanics' Institute) been in financial difficulties.

[63][64][65] Newspaper reporting of his first mayoral term was favourable,[65] and on 17 November 1884, Hulbert was declared re-elected unopposed.

Attendees of the banquet included Leonard Harper, Francis James Garrick, Hugh Murray-Aynsley, Richmond Beetham (Resident Magistrate), Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Lean, Jack T. Matson, James Dupré Lance, William Campbell Walker, Justice Phillip Johnston, John Thomas Peacock, William Reeves, De Renzie Brett, John Holmes, and John Ollivier.

The Auckland mayor, William Waddel, quickly replied that "Christchurch would be none the worse for a hill or two around it.

There had previously been a design competition for new offices and a town hall to be erected in Market Square in 1879, but the scheme was abandoned due to the high cost.

[75] The city councillors voted on the winner of this recent competition on 7 December 1885 and chose the very modern Queen Anne design by Samuel Hurst Seager.

[81][82] At the last city council meeting chaired by Hulbert, there was unanimous agreement that the mayor had discharged his duties with a lot of energy and skill.

Councillor Louisson explained that "he had been asked to come forward for the mayoralty, but had been deterred from doing so by the thought that he would be unable to devote so much of his time, and give such care to the work of the city", as Hulbert had done.

[49] Hulbert's character faults were described as his having had a manner that was sometimes overbearing, and in extreme situations, he could be brusque or even rude.

He could be petty or even childish if he didn't get his way, and his resignation as a councillor in 1882 was described by a local newspaper, The Star, as one of those occasions.

[97] The school committee, at its monthly meeting in July 1885, passed the following resolution:[98] That in the true interests of the children, it is advisable that a portion of the scriptures be read by them at the opening of school each day, and the Lord's Prayer be reverentially recited, provided such can be done without violating the requirements of the Education Act.The motion was passed against the wishes of Hulbert and the chairman (who was Jewish).

The chairman obtained a legal opinion from the office of Thomas Joynt and Acton Adams, which confirmed that the motion was indeed in violation of the Act.