Municipal Notes
From the time the first settler, in 1840 built his shanty on the banks of the River Thames, every day brought some new adventurer to the municipality. In 1846 Blanshard must have contained several hundred souls. As the township did not contain a single acre of waste land, the process of settlement was exceedingly rapid. It was necessary that some sort of local authority should be set in operation for the regulation of the affairs in the new township. We accordingly find that a meeting of the townships of Downie, Fullarton, and Blanshard was held at the schoolhouse in Stratford on January 3rd, 1842. At this meeting certain officers were appointed for the district composed of the townships mentioned. It appears from the minutes, however, as if Blanshard was unrepresented. The first trace of municipal government in the township was a meeting of ratepayers called for the appointment of path masters and other officers. This meeting was held in 1846, at "the village," as St. Marys was then, and for long after, called. The municipal procedure then was very different from what it is now.
Up to the year 1834, the justices in session managed all local matters as they pleased. In that year an Act was passed providing that householders at their annual meeting should appoint certain persons to act as fence-viewers. This meeting was also to determine what should be considered a lawful fence. The Act made provision also for opening ditches and water courses, as the fence-viewers might decide.
In 1835 an important change was made, and the Act of that year may be said to form the core of the present Municipal Act. It was enacted that the township clerk should assemble the ratepayers of the township at a time and place agreed upon at the previous yearly meeting. This meeting was empowered to choose the following township officers: the clerk, three commissioners, one assessor, one collector, and any number of persons they thought proper to serve as overseers of highways, roads and bridges, and as poundkeeper. The collector gave bonds to the district treasurer, to whom he paid the proceeds of the rates levied, and the township clerk gave bonds to the commissioners.
The most important change made by this Act was the appointment of the commissioners, to whom was transferred many of the powers respecting the repairing of bridges and roads previously held and exercised by the justices in session.
The board of commissioners was required to meet three times, at the place in which the last township meeting was held, and was authorized to hold as many other meetings as it thought best at any place it might choose. The members were to receive for their services the sum of five shillings per day. The quarter sessions still held the authority as to locating and altering highways, as well as other matters general to the district. The Act of 1839 changed the name "commissioner,'' as set forth in the Act of 1835, to "township wardens.'' This system was continued up to the year 1841. Previous to this the province was divided into districts, and the Governor-in-Council determined the number of councillors and appointed the warden.
It was the desire of Upper Canadians, however, who disliked paternal government, to elect their wardens and other officers. This furnished the basis of the Act of 1841, which provided for district councils to be composed of one or two members to be elected by each township, and to hold office for three years, retiring in rotation. From these changes in the functions of the local governing bodies, it appears evident that public opinion was approaching the present excellent system. It was not till the year 1850, however, that the Municipal Act was given to the municipalities. With this short sketch of the Municipal Act we will resume the history of Blanshard.
From the time the first settler, in 1840 built his shanty on the banks of the River Thames, every day brought some new adventurer to the municipality. In 1846 Blanshard must have contained several hundred souls. As the township did not contain a single acre of waste land, the process of settlement was exceedingly rapid. It was necessary that some sort of local authority should be set in operation for the regulation of the affairs in the new township. We accordingly find that a meeting of the townships of Downie, Fullarton, and Blanshard was held at the schoolhouse in Stratford on January 3rd, 1842. At this meeting certain officers were appointed for the district composed of the townships mentioned. It appears from the minutes, however, as if Blanshard was unrepresented. The first trace of municipal government in the township was a meeting of ratepayers called for the appointment of path masters and other officers. This meeting was held in 1846, at "the village," as St. Marys was then, and for long after, called. The municipal procedure then was very different from what it is now.
Up to the year 1834, the justices in session managed all local matters as they pleased. In that year an Act was passed providing that householders at their annual meeting should appoint certain persons to act as fence-viewers. This meeting was also to determine what should be considered a lawful fence. The Act made provision also for opening ditches and water courses, as the fence-viewers might decide.
In 1835 an important change was made, and the Act of that year may be said to form the core of the present Municipal Act. It was enacted that the township clerk should assemble the ratepayers of the township at a time and place agreed upon at the previous yearly meeting. This meeting was empowered to choose the following township officers: the clerk, three commissioners, one assessor, one collector, and any number of persons they thought proper to serve as overseers of highways, roads and bridges, and as poundkeeper. The collector gave bonds to the district treasurer, to whom he paid the proceeds of the rates levied, and the township clerk gave bonds to the commissioners.
The most important change made by this Act was the appointment of the commissioners, to whom was transferred many of the powers respecting the repairing of bridges and roads previously held and exercised by the justices in session.
The board of commissioners was required to meet three times, at the place in which the last township meeting was held, and was authorized to hold as many other meetings as it thought best at any place it might choose. The members were to receive for their services the sum of five shillings per day. The quarter sessions still held the authority as to locating and altering highways, as well as other matters general to the district. The Act of 1839 changed the name "commissioner,'' as set forth in the Act of 1835, to "township wardens.'' This system was continued up to the year 1841. Previous to this the province was divided into districts, and the Governor-in-Council determined the number of councillors and appointed the warden.
It was the desire of Upper Canadians, however, who disliked paternal government, to elect their wardens and other officers. This furnished the basis of the Act of 1841, which provided for district councils to be composed of one or two members to be elected by each township, and to hold office for three years, retiring in rotation. From these changes in the functions of the local governing bodies, it appears evident that public opinion was approaching the present excellent system. It was not till the year 1850, however, that the Municipal Act was given to the municipalities. With this short sketch of the Municipal Act we will resume the history of Blanshard.
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