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Bunbury Road District

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For the body of the same name from 1894 to 1907, see Shire of Capel.

The Bunbury Road District was an early form of local government area in the region surrounding Bunbury, Western Australia from 1899 to 1950.[1]

It was established as the Bunbury Suburban Road District on 26 May 1899, the "suburban" designation distinguishing it from the existing Bunbury Road District (which would be renamed the Capel Road District on 26 June 1907). It was established due to strong protests from residents of Bunbury and surrounds as to the poor state of the roads leading into Bunbury and the perceived disinterest from the Capel-based Bunbury Road Board, with the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce supporting a petition to the government for a new suburban road district.[2] The separation was opposed by the existing Bunbury Road Board, who argued that it would take away a valuable portion of their district.[3]

The first election for the Bunbury Suburban Road Board was held in June 1899, with the first meeting being held on 28 June.[4] The board consisted of seven members elected at large.[5] The road board met in the municipal chambers of the Municipality of Bunbury.[6]

Following the original Bunbury Road District's renaming to Capel, the Bunbury Suburban Road District was renamed the Bunbury Road District on 24 July 1908.[1]

It was effectively abolished on 20 January 1950, with its territory being divided between the Municipality of Bunbury, Capel Road District, Dardanup Road District and Harvey Road District, with a commissioner appointed until the board was formally wound up on 24 March.[1][7] The abolition met with considerable local opposition, a public campaign for retention and attempts to lobby the Premier and Minister for Local Government, but Premier Ross McLarty was insistent, arguing that several ministers, the previous Labor government and a Royal Commission had considered and supported the decision.[8][9][10][11] The section amalgamated with the Municipality of Bunbury became its new Suburban Ward.[12]

There was some dissatisfaction in the years following the road district's abolition that rates had increased while works that would have been completed under the old system were not being carried out.[13][14][15]

Frank Guthrie was a long-serving member and chairman of the road board.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  2. ^ "PROPOSED SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD". Bunbury Herald. Western Australia. 2 July 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "BUNBURy ROADS BOARD". Southern Times. Western Australia. 30 August 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD ELECTION". Southern Times. Western Australia. 29 June 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD ELECTION". Southern Times. Western Australia. 29 June 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD". Southern Times. Western Australia. 31 January 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "Banbury Road Board Carries On The Fight". South Western Times. Western Australia. 26 January 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Advertising". South Western Times. Western Australia. 9 February 1950. p. 7. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "Road Board Protest". South Western Times. Western Australia. 9 February 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  10. ^ "Banbury Road Hoard Carries On The Fight". South Western Times. Western Australia. 26 January 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  11. ^ "ABOLISHED BOARD". The West Australian. Western Australia. 25 January 1950. p. 13. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  12. ^ "COUNCILLORS SWORN IN". The West Australian. Western Australia. 28 February 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  13. ^ "Strong Plea For Work On Suburban Ward Roads". South Western Times. Western Australia. 7 February 1952. p. 10. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  14. ^ "READERS' VIEWS . . ". South Western Times. Western Australia. 3 September 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  15. ^ "Brunswick Road Complaint". Harvey Murray Times. Western Australia. 24 March 1950. p. 13. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Trove.
  16. ^ Frank Guthrie – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 25 May 2016.

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