Local Government
Historically, two types of local government existed – municipalities, which represented towns or condensed urban areas, and road districts, which represented all other regions. For instance, the Perth Road District was the precursor to the City of Stirling. Only a few cities – Perth, Fremantle, Subiaco, South Perth and Nedlands – existed prior to 1961. On 1 July 1961, all road districts became shires, and all municipalities became towns.
The first official local government in Australia was the Perth Town Trust, established in 1838, only three years after British settlement. The Adelaide Corporation followed, created by the province of South Australia in October 1840. The City of Melbourne and the Sydney Corporation followed, both in 1842. All of these early forms failed; it was not until the 1860s and 1870s that the various colonies established widespread stable forms of local government, mainly for the purpose of raising money to build roads in rural and outer-urban regions. Council representatives attended conventions before Federation, however local government was unquestionably regarded as outside the Constitutional realm. (Wikipedia)
The Katanning Road Board was gazetted in 1892. On 1 July 1961, AND it became a Shire following changes to the Local Government Act.
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KATANNING ROAD BOARD
1896 Katanning Road Board Members:
Front: Michael Cronin, Tom Haddleton, F.T. Fisher-Crosby (chairman), R.S. Taylor, Tom Garstone.
Back: Elijah Bell, L.D. Hart (pressman), T.H. Stansbury (secretary), Pat Cuneen.
The Katanning Road District was proclaimed in 1892, by excision of territory from the original Kojonup Road District. Its first members were Messrs. F. H. Piesse (chairman), Tom Haddleton, Michael Cronin, Wm. Andrews, Dr. F. M. House, R. S. Taylor and Patrick Cuneen, with T. H. Stansbury as first Secretary.
Upon the appointment, in 1896, of Mr. F. H. Piesse to the position of Commissioner for Railways and Public Works in the Forrest Ministry, he resigned from the Board and Mr. Wm. Andrews was elected chairman in his place. The third chairman was Mr. F. T. Fisher-Crosby, whose resignation in 1897 was followed by the election to the position of Mr. A. E. Piesse.
The Katanning Road District, at this time, included territory now administered by the Woodanilling and Kent Road Boards, the Woodanilling Board being created in 1906, and the Kent Board in 1923, by excisions from the original area. It had no powers to rate or collect revenues, its only source of income being from Government grants.
In 1898, the system now in vogue became law by the passing of the Road Districts Act, and road boards were given authority to levy rates and raise loans for road construction and other works. With the passing of years, additional functions were added to the local authority, the Katanning Road Board at that time was also the Health Board, Water Board and Vermin Board. Revenue increased with the settlement and development of the district; the 1929 figures placed the receipts of the Board as the highest of any local authority in the State outside the Metropolitan area.
1929 Katanning Road Board Members:
Front: C.R. Harris, A.F. Watts (deputy chairman), Alex Prosser (chairman), W.J Rogers, and J.F. Haddleton.
Back: I. Synnott, F.J.P. Noonan, H.V. Buckley (secretary), D. B. Burnside, C. Garstone, A.E. Piesse, S. Kemble, F.M Bowden, and A.V. McDougall.
The Katanning Road Board holds a remarkable record in respect to membership. Mr. Tom Garstone, prior to his resignation in 1924, was a member of the Board continuously for 30 years. Mr. George McLeod, who died in office in 1929, had been a member for 21 years, of which period he was chairman for ten years, and Mr. Alex. Prosser served for 30 years. Other members with lengthy periods on the Board to their credit are Messrs. A. E. Piesse, C. F. Wanke, R. L. Richardson, W. H. Forbes, F. H. Flugge and R. G. Tree.
Members of the Board who have filled the position of chairman during its 37 years of operation are Messrs. F. H. Piesse, Wm. Andrews, F. T. Fisher Crosby, A. E. Piesse, C. F. Wanke, Geo. McLeod, A. Thomson, M.L.A., W. J. Rogers and R. L. Richardson, the present chairman (1929) being Mr. Alex. Prosser.
The Katanning Road Board had an enviable reputation for good roads, of which more than 700 miles, representing an expenditure of £100,000, traverse its territory. It comprised 13 members, namely six representing the Central or Town Ward, two the West Ward, three the Moojebing Ward, and two the East Ward.
The executive staff included the Secretary and Engineer, Mr. H. V. Buckley; Health Officer and Building Surveyor, Mr. S. R. Evans; Country Supervisor, Mr. J. E. Coate; and Town Foreman, Mr. W. Collingwood. The office staff comprising Miss E. Mitchell, assistant secretary, and Mr. T. Hogan, clerk. Continue reading
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MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
From Merilyn Stewart’s Gnowangerup Facebook Page
EARLY 1900’S MACHINERY IN THE DISTRICT
I.H.C. Titan Type DA DIESEL ENGINE 1911-14
Glen Oliver: “I have just had this engine identified. It is a I.H.C. Titan Type D, built between 1911-14. Thanks Brett Green from Tambellup. Steere or Steer in Broomehill had one.The big box on the front of this engine is a cooling tower (a primitive form of radiator) that kept the oil engine cool.
This diesel driven tractor was owned by the Katanning Roads Board during the 1920’s. It was sold to Pocock’s of Needilup to be used for scrub clearing.
E.W. Steere was taking his engine to Ongerup for scrub rolling. Two others, Inspector Connell and Andrew McDonald, both purchased I.H.C. 25 hp oil engines in 1911 for scrub rolling. Connell taking his to Ongerup also, and A.McDonald’s was used on his own farm and some contract work at Carpenter’s. He was injured when repairing the engine there, in a acetylene explosion.
”Note: Within a few hours of requesting information on this Tractor, I have a whole story! Glen Oliver made the connection to Luke Pocock, Luke contacted me and gave me some great information (Merilyn Stewart):
Luke Pocock: “My great grandfather purchased it second hand from Katanning Roads Board in the mid 1920s (?). My pop started driving it home and, after an 8hr drive just to get to Broomehill, it was decided it was too slow so it was loaded on a train to Ongerup and then driven to Needilup. It was used to roll down scrub. Then it was parked up for around 80 years until I restored it. It’s still here on family farm at Needilup”.
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FURTHER READING
Local Government in Australia (Wikipedia)
Local Government Areas of Western Australia (Wikipedia)
Local Government.