The boroughs of New Zealand were the administrative divisions representing the country's urban areas, existing from the colonial period until the major local government reforms of 1989 where they were replaced by the modern system of territorial authorities. They were governed by borough and city councils and existed alongside the country's counties, town districts, and other administrative divisions. Boroughs with over 20,000 population could be granted city status.
History
Early colonial period When New Zealand became a British colony in 1840, the Colonial Office tasked Governor William Hobson with promoting the establishment of local municipal and district government within the colony through the issuing of proclamations. The Municipal Corporations Ordinance 1842 was the first legislative attempt at this, with the ordinance stating that any district with a minimum of 2,000 residents could become a borough, meaning a council could be elected with powers to set rates for the provision of roads, water infrastructure and jails. Suffrage was open to all adult men not just landowners. Issues arose when the colonial government found that the ordinance limited their ability to build lighthouses; for this and other reasons the ordinance was disallowed in 1843.
Provincial period Six provinces were established in New Zealand in 1852. Several provinces passed ordinances establishing their own systems of municipal corporations similar to boroughs, though almost all were established in the prosperous Otago Province. The provinces were abolished in 1876. Municipal Corporations Act 1867 The first colony-wide framework for municipal government was established through the Municipal Corporations Act 1867. Prior to this point, 21 towns and cities had been formed through numerous ordinances at the provincial level. Under the new legislation, each of these places was able to become a municipal corporation upon petition by at least 50 residents, and from that point be constituted a borough governed by a borough council. New boroughs could also be proclaimed in areas outside the existing 21, provided at least 100 residents petitioned the governor.Municipal Corporations Act 1867
Christchurch, Lyttelton, and Kaiapoi became the first boroughs created under the Act, being proclaimed as such by the governor on 28 May 1868.
Municipal Corporations Act 1876 With provinces abolished in 1876, a new Municipal Corporations Act was passed in the same year. This transferred the boroughs established under the previous 1867 Act, allowing them to exist alongside the new system of counties established in separate legislation. Unlike before, they ceased to exist within the boundaries of a province or county, with boroughs and counties instead both becoming top-level local authorities without overlap.
Local Government Act 1974 The Local Government Act 1974 sought to rationalise local government, attempting to tackle the problem whilst dealing with staunchly independent local authorities. The Act abolished the distinction between boroughs and counties, and allowed for the creation of regional units of government. The Act also increased the powers of the Local Government Commission.
1989 reforms In 1989, the Fourth Labour Government enacted major reforms to local government, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1974. Around 850 local authorities were amalgamated together into 86, with many boroughs amalgamating with their surrounding rural areas to form district councils.
City status
Under the Municipal Corporations Act, boroughs could be given city status. A purely ceremonial designation, such boroughs had "city councils" rather than "borough councils."
The 1868 Amendment Act to the Municipal Corporations Act 1867 enabled certain cities and towns to be designated as cities under said Act; said cities and towns being Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act 1868 After the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1886, provisions were expanded so that boroughs with at least 20,000 people could also be granted city status.Municipal Corporations Act 1886
List of boroughs