Royal Commission for the Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs, 1908-1909

Unique IDOR-0024DescriptionThe Royal Commission was an initiative of the Lord Mayor, Thomas Hughes, a businessman, Lord Mayor of Sydney and a Member of the Legislative Council. In January 1909, Hughes recommended Council invite the government to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into the subject of improvements to Sydney.

The Premier agreed and a Commission was established on 14 May 1908 to investigate all proposals for the improvement of the City of Sydney and its suburbs, and to fully inquire into the whole subject of the remodelling of Sydney.

The Lord Mayor Thomas Hughes was appointed head of the eleven-member Commission. Other members included Edmund Walcott Fosbery, Henry Gorman, James Graham, Robert Rowan Purdon Hickson, James Sinclair Taylor McGowen, Edward William O’Sullivan, Ernest Alfred Scott, Norman Selfe, James Wall, and John Wheeler.

The Commissioners held 90 meetings, carried out site inspections, collected 40 witness statements and collated reports from other cities.

The final report was released on 25 June 1909. 40 recommendations were made, the majority relating to road and transport improvements such as an underground electric railway, recommendations for street changes and extensions. The Commission also inquired into beautification of the city, slum areas and housing reform, and future growth of the city. It recommended a new Building Act and enhanced municipal town planning and conservation controls.

Reference
Some of this text is drawn from notes by Robert Freestone, University of New South Wales, 2009 and Museums of History, Agency registration AGY-4935.

Series

Description

Start date14th May 1908Start date qualifierexactEnd date25th June 1909End date qualifierexactDate created14th May 1908Date abolished25th June 1909

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Royal Commission for the Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs, 1908-1909