AGY-6232 | Districts Government Commission

Full description

The Districts Government Commission, also referred to as the Local Government Commission, was established on 25 September 1894 with the appointment of Charles Edward Robertson Murray (a District Court Judge) as President. Both Christopher Brandis (Commissioner, Land Appeal Court) and Edward Twynam (Chief Surveyor and Director of Trigonometrical Survey) were appointed as members on 25 September 1894. George Lewis (District Government and Chief Electoral Officer) was also appointed as a member on 12 December 1894. George Lewis was in charge of the District Government Office within the Chief Secretary's Department.  The Secretary to the Commission was John Walker who was succeeded by Robert Charles Scott. (1)

The Commission related to the introduction in Parliament of the Local Government Bill in November 1894 by George Reid. (2) It was entitled "A Bill to establish Local Government over that part of New South Wales which is outside the boundaries of municipalities; to make further provision for the constitution of municipal districts, and for the alteration of the areas of existing municipalities; to amend the law relating to municipal loans and municipal rates, and the recovery thereof; to amend and to extend the provisions of the 'Municipalities Act of 1867'; to amend other Statutes in order to give effect to the aforesaid provisions; and for other purposes connected therewith or incidental thereto." (3)

The Commission reported on the boundaries of proposed local government areas around January 1895. (4)

It is not known when the Commission was abolished although it was still in existence at 14 May 1895. (5)

Endnotes
(1) Blue Book of New South Wales, 1894, pp.62-63; Return showing cost of Local Government Commission, 14 May 1895 in Votes and Proceedings of the NSW Legislative Assembly, 1894-95. Vol. 3, p.1119.
(2) F.A. Larcombe, The Stabilization of Local Government in New South Wales 1858-1906. (A History of Local Government in New South Wales Vol. 2). Sydney University Press, 1976, p.264.
(3) Local Government Bill (Message No.24), 8 November 1894 in Votes and Proceedings of the NSW Legislative Assembly, 1894-95. Vol. 3, p.1121.
(4) NRS 1433, Provisional scheme of the Local Government Commissioners, January 1895 [3/3175.2].
(5) Return cited in note 1.