Full description
The Municipalities Act 1867, s.10, provided for the establishment of a borough or municipal district if a petition asking for it was signed by at least 50 persons. Only those who would have to pay municipal taxes if the area incorporated could sign the petition, but they did not have to be residents. The petition was published in NSW Government Gazette and a local newspaper, and if no counter petition signed by a greater number of persons was received within three months, the Governor could proclaim the area a municipality and define its boundaries. (1)
Whether a local government area was designated a borough or municipal district depended on its size, both in population and area. Boroughs required a minimum population of 1,000 and could not be larger than 9 square miles (23.3 square kilometres) with no part more than 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) distant from the rest. Boroughs were cities or towns, areas incorporated before 1867, or a populous country district. (2)
If it was claimed that the petition or the counter petition contained false signatures the Minister could order that an inquiry be held which had to report back within one month. (3) After 1874 an inquiry was also held if both petition and counter petition contained the same signatures. (4)
On 14 October 1870, a petition signed by two hundred and forty two persons was published in the New South Wales Government Gazette petitioning for the establishment of the municipal district titled the Borough of Windsor under the Municipalities Act of 1867. (5)
On 6 March 1871, a proclamation establishing the Municipal district of the Borough of Windsor was published in the New South Wales Government Gazette. The Borough of Windsor was located in the County of Cumberland, Parish of St Matthew. (6) On 5 May 1871, the first Returning Officer was elected for the Borough of Windsor’s first elections to be held on 26 May 1871 at Windsor’s courthouse. (7)
The first election was delayed until 1 June 1871 and nine aldermen and two auditors were elected. (8) On 7 June 1871, the first Mayor was elected (9) and the first Council Clerk was elected 31 August 1871. (10)
The Borough District of Windsor became the Municipality of Windsor [I] on 31 December 1906. Under the Local Government Extension Act, 1906 (Act No 40, 1906) the terms municipal district and borough ceased to be used. (11)
In 1907, the Municipality of Windsor [I] was divided into three wards: North, Central, and South. (12)
A petition was gazetted on 8 May 1907 to abolish the wards of the Municipality of Windsor [I]. (13) The abolition of the wards was gazetted on 17 July 1907. (14)
The Valuation of Land Act, 1916 (Act No.2, 1916), was applied to the Municipality of Windsor on 1 December 1923. (15) Under this legislation the Valuer-General took over the valuing of land within the municipality from the council. He issued a valuation list to the Council by 15 January 1924 and thereafter the Council ceased to create valuation rolls. (16)
Part of Colo Shire was transferred to the Municipality of Windsor [I] on 27 February 1925 (17), part of the Municipality of Windsor [I] was transferred to Blacktown Shire was proclaimed on 4 November 1927 and effective from 1 January 1928, (18) and part of the Municipality was added to Baulkham Hills Shire on 21 May 1948. (19)
The Municipality of Windsor [I] was dissolved under the Local Government (Areas) Act, No. 30, 1948 and a new area combined with the previous Municipality of Richmond was formed to be the new Municipality of Windsor [II]. (20) The previous Municipality of Windsor [I] became Windsor, First Ward. (21)
End notes:
1. An Act to Establish Municipalities, 1867 (31 Victoria Act No.12), s.10.
2. ibid., s.8.
3. ibid, s. 12.
4. Municipalities Act of 1867 Amendment, 1874 (37 Vic. No.15), s. 2.
5. NSW Government Gazette No. 247, 14 October 1870, p. 2207.
6. NSW Government Gazette No. 50, 6 March 1871, p. 525.
7. NSW Government Gazette No. 102, 5 May 1871, p. 983.
8. NSW Government Gazette No. 136, 6 June 1871, p. 1217.
9. NSW Government Gazette No. 144, 13 June 1871, p. 1267.
10. NSW Government Gazette No. 216, 1 September 1871, p. 1942.
11. Local Government Extension Act, 1906 (Act No 40, 1906) s3, Schedule One, s.9.
12. Official Municipal Year Book and Shires Directory NSW, 1907, p. 210.
13. NSW Government Gazette No. 56, 8 May 1907, p. 2580.
14. NSW Government Gazette No. 84, 17 July 1907, p. 4001.
15. NSW Government Gazette No. 135, Notice 2052, 2 November 1923, p. 4908.
16. NSW Government Gazette No. 12, Notice 3281, 25 January 1924, p. 486.
17. NSW Government Gazette No. 28, 27 February 1925, p. 1064.
18. NSW Government Gazette No. 158, 4 November 1927, p. 5205.
19. NSW Government Gazette No. 56, 21 May 1948, p. 1223.
20. Local Government (Areas) Act, No. 30, 1948, s 6(2), Second Schedule.
21. ibid.
User Contributed Tags
Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover
