HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-07-16, Page 44Page 20
Local government of tow».iJiip. to 1836
BY E. STANLEY SNYDER
The local government" of Colborne
township might be divided into two
distinct eras: The first was from 1836 to
1850, when the governing body consisted of
two Commissioners, the only record of
which is found in Belden's Atlas 9f 1879,
where we learn that at a meeting held in
the ,Crown and Anchor Hotel on the 4th of
January, 1836, with Daniel Lizars as chair-
man, James McLean was elected Clerk,
and out' of a list of six nominees Mr.
Michael Fisher was elected Commissioner
for the Eastern Division while Mr. Henry
Wildman was elected for the Western
Division. David Clark was elected*
assessor and John Paterson tax -collector.
Among resolutions adopted at this meeting
was one to the effect that all stray dogs
shall be liable to be impounded and shall
be treated as stray cattle.
This system of government continued
until 1850, when the Municipal Act came
into force. But from 1842 and aet of Parlia-
ment for the purpose of better internal
government decreed that County Govern-
ment should be set up to replace the Board
of Magistrates who had ruled previously.
These were called District Represen-
tatives and Mr. John Galt was the first
District Councillor.
FIRST TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
At 1850 we pass into the second era, as
with the enactment of the Minicipal Act
Township councils were required, con-
sisting of reeve, deputy reeve, and three
councillors, except where the population of
the municipality did not warrant a deputy
reeve, in which case four councillors were
Council 1986 - Grant MacPhee, Doug Stoll, Ross Pannabecker, Ken Grigg and
John Wain. The front row includes - Bill Vanstone, Russ Kernighan and clerk,
Hudson Milburn.
to be elected. Some townships and some
towns had two deputy reeves. The first
Council, elected in 1850 after a nomination
held in the school on Lot 5, Concession 8,
consisted of Benjamin Miller, John An -
nand, Micha isher, John Morris and
William Youn�The Council selected John
Annand as Reeve. It was some time later
that the reeve was elected by popular vote
of the ratepayers.
nr.�i.a.., Young, .u. followed M.
William who followed Mr. An -
nand in 18.53 and was the first reeve to
represent the Township at the meetings of
the Coo tty Council, was reeve for twenty-
five years 4n all. He also presented'a ,bell to
each school section formed during his
term of office, and gave prizes at the com-
petitive examinations held yearly for the
school children of the whole Township.
In 1897 a return was made to the system
of District Representatives, with two men
elected for three municipalities for a two-
year term. This was continued for ten
years, and not proving an improvement a
return to the old` system followed. During,
this term councils were elected as before,
but their duties were confined to local ad-
ministration. to 1908 County Councils
whose members were the Reeves and
Deputy Reeves of Townships were again
`established and from the time to the pre-
sent Colborne, no longer eligible for a
Deputy Reeve, has been. governed by ,a
Reeve and four Councillor's, with the
Reeve being a member , of the County ,,
Council.
STATUTE LABOR
In the early life of the Township as well
as at present the maintenance of roads.
formed the greater part of the responsibili-
ty of the Council Board, though the type of
road required and the method of care have
changed greatly. From the Township
records we learn that as far back as 1871
statute labor,.with pathmasters appointed
by Council as supervisors of the work
done, was the method in effect for the care
of roads. By this system a ratepayer was
Turn to page 21
congratulations!
Colborne Township and its
people are truly blue ribbon
winners. Hard work and fine
people have made the Township
of Colborne first in its class
for the last 150 years. Here's to many
more to come.
Delmar Sproul and M
ke Miller
Insurance Brokers for:
West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance
Rd..3 Auburn
529-7273 and 529-7843
to
all our customers
and friends
in
Colborne Township
on a successful
Sesquicentennial
from
LAKEPORT
STEEL
205 Nelson St., E. Goderich