[3][4] He received further secondary education in New Zealand, and in June 1861, he was admitted to the bar by George Arney, the Chief Justice.

He was chosen as Southland's representative to the 1865 New Zealand Exhibition in Dunedin, but could not travel there due to unfavourable weather conditions.

He set up the Great Republic Gold Mining Company in Karaka in the Thames District, was its majority shareholder and its manager.

[10] He practised in Auckland until he was appointed district judge in November 1873 for the Hawke's Bay.

When Weston was appointed, Rochfort pointed that this move was illegal, as he had first right of refusal under previous agreements.

Justice Gresson led the opposition of New Zealand's judges to this interference and even went to Wellington, but to no avail.

In early 1875, three of New Zealand's five judges resigned over this affair: Gresson, Chapman, and the Chief Justice, George Arney.

[5] During his time on the coast, his most notable task was to chair the Westport Colliery Reserve Commission, which he conducted with Richmond Beetham.

[5] At the end of 1880, Weston retired from his judgeship and undertook the unusual step of rejoining the bar.

[24] This caused a 16 June 1881 by-election in the electorate, which was contested by Weston, Gerard George Fitzgerald, and James Mill Morris.

He was one of the chief proponents for a railway to be built connecting the east and west coasts of the South Island.

This stance was heavily criticised, but Weston won the point and Bickerton was removed from the teaching staff.

[40] When the family emigrated, they had five sons: John, Warwick,[1] Henry, William Joseph, and Thomas Shailer.

[58] He died suddenly on 10 November 1946 while contesting the Wellington Central electorate, and his wife, Agnes Weston, became the candidate instead.

He was a Rhodes' Scholar in 1939,[61] was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn, and gained his New Zealand registration in May 1938.

[62] Thomas Shailer Weston Sr. died on 15 October 1912 at his Young Street residence in New Plymouth[3] and he was interred at Te Henui Cemetery.