NRS-16299 | Public watering places registers [Waugoola Shire Council]

Full description

Shires constituted by the Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905 were responsible for the regulation of public watering places within their jurisdiction. (1) The Act transferred to Shires certain responsibilities outlined in the Public Watering Places Act, 1900 (Act No 17, 1900). The Shire could construct tanks, dams or other facilities adjacent to roads or on reserves to serve as public watering places, and appoint caretakers of the public watering places who could provide water to travelling stock at prescribed rates. The Shire could appoint inspectors and overseers of the watering places, or it could lease them to another party or appoint trustees to manage them. The Shire could also impound stock found trespassing at public watering places and their owners required to compensate for any damage caused by them. (2)

The Waugoola Shire operated two watering places - Cameron's Tank in Riding A and Currajong Tank in Riding B. Both were operated by lessees. There is a separate section of the register for each tank. The following information is included: date of entry; owner of stock; person in charge of stock; water supplied (divided into horses, cattle,sheep, other stock and 'in bulk'); stock agisted (divided into horses, cattle and period in days); fees collected and depth of water. The register was only used as a Public watering places register during the years 1908 - 1914.

During January-March 1927 the register was re-used for recording repairs to the Main Road No 54; Cowra to Grenfell.

Endnotes:
(1) Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905 (Act No. 33, 1905) Schedule One (viii)
(2) Public Watering-Places Act, 1900 (Act No 17, 1900 s. 6- 11)