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Johnsonville Local Board
Descriptive Data
TypeAgencyDate Range1874-1882DescriptionLocal government came to Johnsonville in the form of the Wellington Provincial Governments Local Boards Act of 1873. This made provision for the proclamation of local Boards to manage certain areas. Johnsonville, with its 206 residents, was proclaimed a local Board district by the provincial government. On the 21 September 1874, 143 locals went to the polls to elect the first Board of five members.
This was initially known as the 'Local Board'. A bill to abolish the provinces came into effect in 1876. Abolition allowed the formation of even more local administration and Johnsonville’s Local Board became a dependant Board within the Hutt County when the Counties Act of 1876 divided the country into 63 counties. These counties were administrative units primarily intended for the administration of predominantly rural areas. The Board did, however, retain a certain amount of autonomy. Hutt County Council conferred on the Board the power to manage the roads within the Board’s boundaries on the condition that levies were collected, after administrative conflict between the two authorities occurred in 1877.
The Board consisted of five to seven locally-elected members, one of whom would be the Chairman, the others the commissioners of the Board. The Board could appoint officers such as Town Clerk. The first commissioners for the Johnsonville Local Board were Messrs C Austin, B Reeves, T Bowler, F Taylor and W H Saunders. Mr Austin became the first Chairman of the Board, which had 1,274 acres as its territory. This area comprised Johnsonville, part of Ohariu, and most of what is now Newlands.
In its first years the Board had no permanent meeting place, and met sometimes in the Ames Arms Hotel or the schoolhouse. The early meetings dealt primarily with finances and works matters. Footpath construction was proposed by the Board in one of its earliest meetings, as well as the installation of a village pump.
Johnsonville was amongst a number of smaller townships that were raised to the status of a Town District by the Town Boards Act of 1881. This repealed the earlier Wellington Provincial Council Act under which the Board had been established. As a result of this Act the Local Board of Johnsonville became the Town Board in 1882.
This was initially known as the 'Local Board'. A bill to abolish the provinces came into effect in 1876. Abolition allowed the formation of even more local administration and Johnsonville’s Local Board became a dependant Board within the Hutt County when the Counties Act of 1876 divided the country into 63 counties. These counties were administrative units primarily intended for the administration of predominantly rural areas. The Board did, however, retain a certain amount of autonomy. Hutt County Council conferred on the Board the power to manage the roads within the Board’s boundaries on the condition that levies were collected, after administrative conflict between the two authorities occurred in 1877.
The Board consisted of five to seven locally-elected members, one of whom would be the Chairman, the others the commissioners of the Board. The Board could appoint officers such as Town Clerk. The first commissioners for the Johnsonville Local Board were Messrs C Austin, B Reeves, T Bowler, F Taylor and W H Saunders. Mr Austin became the first Chairman of the Board, which had 1,274 acres as its territory. This area comprised Johnsonville, part of Ohariu, and most of what is now Newlands.
In its first years the Board had no permanent meeting place, and met sometimes in the Ames Arms Hotel or the schoolhouse. The early meetings dealt primarily with finances and works matters. Footpath construction was proposed by the Board in one of its earliest meetings, as well as the installation of a village pump.
Johnsonville was amongst a number of smaller townships that were raised to the status of a Town District by the Town Boards Act of 1881. This repealed the earlier Wellington Provincial Council Act under which the Board had been established. As a result of this Act the Local Board of Johnsonville became the Town Board in 1882.
Related Agencies
Successor Agency or OrganisationJohnsonville Town Board
Johnsonville Local Board. Archives Online, accessed 19/03/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/7971