"She sadly wants a municipal council" : the happy birth of Wagga Wagga City Council

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter, June 1870

In 1868 (and before) the townspeople of Wagga Wagga had been agitating for the creation of a municipal council. The campaign paid off in March 1870, when the petition put together by appropriate number of  persons was approved, and Wagga Wagga was proclaimed as a municipal borough consisting of three wards: north, south and east Wagga Wagga.

This official proclamation kicked off a round of elections for representatives and this process provided interest and entertainment for the townsfolk. The meetings of the candidates were reported in the newspaper , complete with the town characters providing pre- speech amusements, and some manufactured argy-bargy between the candidates. A local identity known only as "Smasher" entertained the people gathered at this meeting of South Ward voters :

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter, May 1870

The ongoing spat between Mr Willans and George Forsyth was a case of each accusing the other of nefarious tactics to get elected:

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter, June 1870 

The town newspaper really was the main focus point for local events and news, and the elections of aldermen were covered extensively. Aldermen who were elected printed letters thanking those who nominated them to be voted for. Many of the nominees tended to be very wordy and flowery but George Forsyth (who was elected as Wagga Wagga's first Mayor) was mercifully succinct: 

 Above : from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter, June 1870

Once all the official positions had been voted on and filled, the business of running a town began. There were several sore points- the danger of tree stumps in the streets being a major concern. The bridge over the Murrumbidgee, it's repair and upkeep, and "the stench" (the foul odours emanating from the streets due to a lack of sewage and garbage disposal) were the other major concerns of the townspeople. 

The second half of the year focused on council meetings  and the business arising from them. The hype and novelty of  the election process had worn off and the townsfolk didn't seem aware that the council meetings were open to the public.

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter , July 1870 

The last meeting for the year was on Thursday 15 September, where obtaining a fire engine was discussed:

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser and Riverine Reporter, December 1870 

And so the first year of the Wagga Wagga Municipal Council quietly came to a close, having made a quietly successful and orderly start to the year. 

 

Fitzmaurice Street in the 1880s- 1888

                         

                                        Above : from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 3 May 1988

In the last of these three posts looking at Fitzmaurice Street in the 1880s, 1888 turns out to be the year the roller skating craze hit Wagga. The first roller skating rink was opened in the Drill Hall on the corner of Trail and Gurwood Streets, and the proprietor Mr F Chittenden-O'Key opened the Fitzmaurice Street rink in May. After that, the craze for roller skating took hold, and more rinks were opened in Wagga Wagga.

Above : opening night review in the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 3 May 1888

Roller skating competitions were held, with prizes ranging from a trophy or medal, to bracelets and silver tea services. Bands played while people skated, and Mr O'Key's skating rink had impressively secured local luminaries, Homann's Adelong band, to play every time the rink was open.

Above : from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 5 April 1888

The Murrumbidgee Light Horse, which was created in Wagga Wagga in 1887 from the Wagga Cavalry Corps, was very active in 1888. Later in the year,  after participating in a day of training and manoeuvres across Wagga Wagga in August, the Light Horse corps made their way to Fitzmaurice Street, where they halted and were addressed by Lieutenant Coleman about the resignation of their previous Captain, W G Tayler ( Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Tuesday 21 August 1888). It would have been quite a sight to see the troops gathered in Fitzmaurice Street.

Sir Henry Parkes, often referred to as the Father of Federation, was the Premier of New South Wales when he visited Wagga Wagga in April of 1888, and it was a huge event for the town. Sir Henry was met by council representatives and prominent citizens at the railway station, then the Murrumbidgee Light Horse accompanied him from the railway station into town. Over the next few days he was escorted around Wagga's "places of interest" , gave a speech at the Town Hall, and was treated to a banquet in the billiard room of the Criterion Hotel in Fitzmaurice Street, on 9 April. I don't know how big the billiard room was but it must have been large enough to hold approximately 30 people or more, as about this many attended, with room for servants to wait table as well.  

Local businesses used the Parkes visit to pep up their advertising, no matter how tenuous the connection, as Mr Corthorn did in this grab for attention :

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, April 1888

This year is Wagga Wagga City Council's 150th anniversary, and in 1888 they had been in action for 18 years. Council meeting proceedings were reported in the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, and the first meeting for this year was held in February. Mr Fitzhardinge was again elected as Mayor. Meetings generally covered what public works were under way or were needed, repairs needed, and reports and correspondence were tabled and read out. The meeting ended with an agreement to build a public baths.

After all this excitement, the year came quietly to a close, with one more milestone in Wagga Wagga's history- the Henningham Photographic Studio was established, built by Charles Hardy in Fitzmaurice Street , near the lagoon bridge. 

       

Above : from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, October 1888

Above: from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, December 1888

Above: portrait from Ernest Henningham's Photographic Studio, image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria