Page 44 - Bulletin 7 2003

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Bay. He was instrumental in introducing piped water in the Liesbeeck
Municipality which, in fact, was one of the first to receive piped water outside

the major towns of the Cape Colony.

Brooke-Smith moved to Muizenberg in 1891 and the following year became a

church-warden of the Holy Trinity Church, Kalk Bay. His work in establishing
the Municipality and ensuring that it was effective and “up and running” was

outstanding, to say the least, especially as he battled with inexperienced
councillors. It was through his foresight that the eventual building of the

Silvermine Reservoir was undertaken and piped water, sanitation, and electricity
were brought to Kalk Bay.

Without doubt Brooke-Smith's greatest achievement, however, was his work in
preparing the Kalk Bay Municipal Improvement Act No 27 of 1897, which was

approved by both houses of the Cape Parliament on 24 June 1897. This far-

sighted Act covered the running of the Municipality for the next eighteen years
and was his brain-child. It received the approval of the Governor the following

week and accordingly became law. Brooke-Smith was personally thanked for his
great assistance rendered to the Parliamentary Agent.

This Act granted the Kalk Bay - Muizenberg Municipality the right to frame

regulations and bye-laws, whether for the fishing industry, the tourist industry,

the passing of plans for houses, or the layout of streets. It included the authority
to raise loans based on rates and property valuations - 10% of any loan had to be

covered by the income accruing from rates - as well as to underwrite capital
works, and to enter into agreements for the development of this whole area as a

residential and tourist suburb. The Act also incorporated the Silvermine Plateau
into the Municipal area so that an immediate start could be made on the planning

of a reservoir and the distribution of piped water.

Selected statements taken from Brooke-Smith’s Mayor’s Minute of 1897

provide an indication of the young Municipality’s intentions and accomplish-