1878, Mr. S.H. Parker presided over a large meeting of citizens held in the Perth Town Hall. Resolutions inimical to the introduction of Chinese and coolies were passed, and it was decided that Sir Luke S. Leake and Mr. S.H. Parker, members for Perth, should lead a deputation to the Governor. Sir Harry Ord informed the members of the deputation that the fears of the meeting were "purely imaginary," lectured them on the industry and morality of the Chinese, and somewhat illogically concluded his address by saying that "the total revenue of the Straits Settlement in 1876 was about £320,000, of which the Chinese paid by their consumption of opium and spirits at least one-half."
The Government introduced Chinese and coolies under a three years' contract, but not to the extent proposed. Late in 1878 the migration of able-bodied colonists from Western Australia to the east was serious. The sum spent in immigration in that year was £1,721. In the revised land regulations of 1878 children under fourteen years of age who had arrived in the colony with their parents (immigrants) were promised twelve and a half acres of land. Governor Ord informed the Legislative Council in 1878 that mechanics or special workmen arriving as immigrants would be allowed to select one town allotment each in lieu of the grant of fifty acres of country land. At the taking of the Government census in 1870 the population of the colony was given as 24,785, comprising 15,375 males and 9,410 females; the population in 1878 was 28,166, an increase of about 300 on the previous year (1877). The number of births in 1878 was 871; deaths, 394; arrivals, 322; and departures, 471—so that the increase was wholly due to the birth rate.
In January, 1871, a Municipal Institutions Act (34 Vic. No. 6) was passed, giving local government to Perth, Fremantle, and other centres. An Amending Act was carried in 1876. Any person owning or occupying land, a house, or tenement within the limits of any municipality was given the right of voting for the Council, provided that he had paid all municipal rates and assessments, and had not received public relief during the year. Property rated below £25 qualified for one vote, above £25 and under £50 for two, above £50 and under £75 for three, and above the last amount for four. Any person who held a vote could also become a councillor, but the chairman must be qualified to serve on the Grand Jury under the Jury Act of 1871 (35 Vic. No. 8). The municipal councils were given power over roads, drains, wharves, public buildings, pounds, boundaries, fences, sanitation and rating, and to borrow money for such purposes. No fewer than eight municipalities were proclaimed in 1871:—2nd January, Perth; 20th February, Fremantle, Guildford, Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, and Geraldton; and on 4th March, York. On 28th September, 1877, Newcastle was proclaimed. The population of Perth in 1871 was 4,500. Under the Act of 1876 the city was divided into four wards, each to elect three burgesses. Mention has already been made to the opening of the Town Hall on 1st June, 1870. This building, which cost (exclusive of convict labour) £4,507, was handed over to the municipality on that occasion, so that the new body possessed a substantial structure wherein to hold its meetings. On 8th March the first councillors were elected, as follow:—J.B. Roe, W. Adkinson, and B. Smith, for East Ward; J. Dyer, J. Dyson, and G. Randell, for West Ward; and J. Snowball, M. Smith, and B. Randford, for Central Ward. Mr. G. Glyde, who for some years was chairman of Town Trustees under the old Act, was elected chairman without opposition. He continued to hold that position for three successive years. In 1874 Mr. G. Randell became chairman; in 1875-6-7 Mr. George Shenton, and in 1878-9 Mr. S.H. Parker. In October, 1878, the Government handed over to the council the public lands and public buildings (including the Claisebrook mulberry plantation) within the municipality; on 30th May, 1870, the Town Hall clock was illuminated for the first time.
The municipal elections at Fremantle were held on 27th February, 1871, with the following results:—Chairman, W.S. Pearse. Councillors: North Ward—D. Francisco, J. Chester, and W. E. Marmion. West Ward—G. Pearse, H. Dixon, and G. Davies. South Ward—W. Hayes, L.A. Armstrong, and W. Jose. At Geraldton the municipal elections were held on 2nd April, and resulted as follow:—Chairman, D.H. Scott. Councillors—Messrs. Crowther, C.H. Eliot, W. Osborne, M. Hosken, W. Trigg, and W. Pead.
Complaints were repeatedly made at this time of the insanitary condition of Perth and Fremantle. In 1876 Dr. Barnett, Fremantle, wrote a valuable pamphlet suggesting improvements. Numerous references to various nuisances were published in the newspapers. Says one in 1878:—"A stranger visiting the metropolis, though he could not fail to admire the beauty of its position and surroundings, yet would equally regret the many drawbacks and deformities in what might otherwise constitute a really picturesque city. It has immense natural advantages, both as regards an ornamental and a sanitary point of view. Other towns not blessed with equal gifts from nature have at vast expenditure been made comfortable and habitable. Perth requires no costly effort; a slight assistance to nature and to ordinary sanitation is all that is required to place her among the most pleasant and healthy cities in the world." In 1876 there were 801 houses in Perth, and a population 4,606 persons. The other centres of more than fifty houses were:—
| Houses | Population | |
| Fremantle ... | 588 ... | 3,303 |
| Albany ... | 247 ... | 840 |
| York ... | 139 ... | 820 |
| Guildford ... | 106 ... | 518 |
| Geraldon ... | 86 ... | 748 |
| Newcastle ... | 57 ... | 215 |
| Busselton ... | 51 ... | 209 |
Roads Boards were established in 1871 for the rest of the colony. Under the Local Road Boards Act (34 Vic. No. 26), which was also amended in 1876, these bodies were given the care of repairing and making roads and raising money for such purposes. Those persons were eligible to vote in the election of Road Boards who possessed rateable property within each proclaimed district to the value of £5 and under £10, one vote; above £10 and under £25, two votes; above £25 and under £50, three votes; and for £50 and upwards four votes.
Western Australia was still the skeleton of a colony: Her vast expanse was practically uninhabited; lines of roads led to a few people here, a few there. Concurrent with the attempts made to attract population were the serious proposals to build telegraph and railway lines by means of loans. Hitherto no telegraphic or railway system had been established; the methods of internal communication remained the same as those of 1840. It is a surprising fact, and earnest of the long stagnation, that the year 1869 should have been reached before these supreme achievements of civilisation were introduced. The old administration would not take upon itself the necessary expenditure, and finally it remained with two enterprising private gentlemen to found what might be termed the epoch of telegraph and other scientific conveniences in the colony.
During the sixties articles were published regretting the
