RM of Pittville # 169

Compiled By: Dan West
Taken from Hazlet & its Heritage Book

‍In 1898 the Territorial Government passed the Local Improvement Ordinance by which one-township units were established. Five years later this was increased to four-township units. All Municipal affairs were administered by the Territorial Department of Public Works under the authority of the Local Improvement District which was formed in 1899.

All the local improvement districts were numbered, commencing at the south-eastern corner of the province, proceeding to the Alta. Border and repeating east to west. When the province of Saskatchewan was formed in 1905, one of the first matters to be considered was that of local government. A commission was appointed to enquire into and to recommend a suitable system of municipal institutions for the province. Their recommendations were promptly adopted and the first Municipality Act was passed in 1908.

As more settlers began to arrive in L.I.D.#169 the need was felt for more say in their local affairs. Therefore, in 1912 a meeting was held and application was made to the Department to form a rural municipality.On January 1, 1913, The Rural Municipality of Pitville No. 169 was created. It seems the name “Pittville” was chosen by Richard Pearce who came from Pittville, Cheltenham, England. A meeting to elect the Council was held on Jan. 6, 1913. The Returning Officer was R.R. Pearce. Elected as councillors were: John Forrester, John Colter, Ed Williamson, R.R. Pearce, P.C. Smith, and J. McBratney. P.C. Smith was nominated as the chair of the meeting. On Jan, 20, 1913, they had a nomination meeting for Reeve. David Magee was elected as the first Reeve. He held his first meeting on Jan. 28 at the Sandord Dene hall. Thomas Derman was appointed sec.-treasurer at a salary of $360 a year.T hey had a busy year. Happy Valley, Jamesville, Roia Dene, Sandford Dene, Three Buttes and Westmount School Districts were formed. They passed a motion to enforce a closed herd law; in ward 5 all year round, but closed in the other wards from April to October 31.On Dec. 13 the new Council for 1914 was elected: Reeve – John Colter, Councillors – J. Forrester, Clem Kimber, Ed Williamson, Percy Smith, R.W. McAdam, C.J. Herriot and T.J. Derman as sec.-treasurer. The meetings were held at the Sandford Dene hall until 1919. The office was at the Orange Hall in Cabri. At the Oct. 6, 1919 meeting Williamson moved that “in the future the secretary will leave his office at the Orange Hall, Cabri; that we will hold our meetings the first Saturday of each month at the Westmount School and that the Sec. Treasurer be in attendance, the second Sat. Each month at Jackson’s store, Bestville, for the purpose of collecting taxes and transacting other business.”The meetings were held at the Westmount School from 1919-1928. The yearly rent was $50 a year. Meetings began in the morning. They went to J.E. West’s for the noon meal and resumed the meeting in the afternoon. It was during this time that the table and the eight wooden chairs, which we still use today, were purchased.