District Councils Act 1887

The District Councils Act 1887 was an act of the Parliament of South Australia. It received assent on 9 December 1887, and its provisions came into effect when proclaimed by Governor William C. F. Robinson on 5 January 1888.^[1][2]

The legislation introduced local government to many areas of South Australia in which it had not previously existed, especially in the north and west of the state, and involved substantial change to many existing municipalities. In total, it involved the creation of 20 new councils, the expansion of 38 existing councils into lands previously without local government, and the amalgamation of 12 pre-existing councils into six larger councils. 74 existing councils were left unchanged, as were individual incorporated towns. The legislation fixed both a minimum number of five councillors and a maximum of ten councillors for District Councils across the state. The Governor appointed councillors for all of the new councils, to hold office for six months until elections could be held in July: these councillors were required to determine their own wards, assess rateable property and prepare rolls of ratepayers.^[1][2][3][4]

The financial impact of the legislation had been a source of controversy both before and after its passage by parliament, and several northern councils protested to the government in 1888 about the arrangements for subsidies and license fees, arguing that they were inadequate to meet the cost of establishing the municipalities.^[5][2] There was lingering dissent around the authority of councils, in particular over the control of dams, wells and reservoirs, which the legislation had maintained as a state government responsibility.^[2] The individual councillors chosen by the Governor also met with staunch opposition in some districts, while the administrative impact of changes to councils already in office was the subject of debate at a local level.^[6][7]

Three of the councils created by the act remain today: Elliston, Franklin Harbour and Streaky Bay.

Councils created

District Council of Blanchetown [1] District Council of Broughton [1] District Council of Coglin [1] District Council of Davenport [1] District Council of Elliston [1]

District Council of Eurelia [1] District Council of Franklin Harbour [1] District Council of Hawker [1] District Council of Kanyaka [1] District Council of Kingscote [1]

District Council of Meningie [1] District Council of Minlaton [1] District Council of Morgan [1] District Council of Orroroo [1] District Council of Port Germein [1]

District Council of Snowtown [1] District Council of Streaky Bay [1] District Council of Terowie [1] District Council of Wilmington [1] District Council of Yorke Peninsula [1]

Amalgamations

• The District Council of Barossa East and the District Council of Barossa West were amalgamated into the new District Council of Barossa. ^[1]
• The District Council of Black Springs was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Stanley ^[1]
• The District Council of Flaxman's Valley was amalgamated into the existing District Council of South Rhine ^[1]
• The District Council of Glanville was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Woodville. ^[1]
• The District Council of Myponga was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Yankalilla ^[1]
• The District Council of Narridy was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Georgetown ^[1]

References

1. "The District Councils Act 1887 No. 419". Flinders University. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
2. "The District Councils Act.". The Port Augusta Dispatch, Newcastle And Flinders Chronicle VII, (860) (South Australia). 10 January 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 27 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
3. Marsden, Susan (2012). "A History of South Australian Councils to 1936" (PDF). Local Government Association of South Australia. p. 41. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
4. "THE NEW DISTRICT COUNCILS ACT.". Adelaide Observer XLV, (2416) (South Australia). 21 January 1888. p. 33. Retrieved 27 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Deputation.". Evening Journal XX, (5845) (South Australia). 19 March 1888. p. 2 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved 27 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "DISTRICT COUNCILS ACT.". Adelaide Observer XLV, (2441) (South Australia). 14 July 1888. p. 33. Retrieved 27 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "THE NEW DISTRICT COUNCILS ACT.". Adelaide Observer XLV, (2420) (South Australia). 18 February 1888. p. 33. Retrieved 27 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.