On January 8, 1884, a meeting was held at the home of Robert Watson on 31-15-15 to form the Municipality of Rosedale.  Later 31-15-15 became the Wm. Doble farm.  The meetings changed to the R.J. Carson home on 24-15-16 in 1885.  The Reeve and councillors were voted in for a one year term and were paid one dollar per meeting.  Dick Edwards was the
clerk appointed.

In 1887, the council started holding their meetings in Neepawa at Simpson House.  In 1889, W.F. Young was hired as clerk at $200 per year.  F.L. Davis was chosen as solicitor and clerk's pay was raised to $300 per year.  H. Honeyman and Robert Bruce were the first auditors at $15.

In 1889, Benson Peters was hired as secretary at $400 per year.

In 1902, Crawford's Garage was the chosen place for their council meeting.

In 1903, auditors were John McClung and J.R. Suddaby.

Events to note in this period of time:

1905 -- A telephone was installed and the first typewriter was purchased.  Rosedale joined the Union of Municipalities.

1906 -- $2,500 was appropriated and divided among six wards for their upkeep.  The clerk's salary was now $750 per year.

1907 -- The Rosedale office was moved to the County Building.  Appropriation for the six wards was now $4,500.  The Reeve received $75 for his time.  People felt their taxes were too high as there were 1300 appeals at the court of revision.  Auditors in 1907 were Thomas Logan and Rodney Green.

1909 -- McCreary formed a Municipality, and Rosedale lost the north townships to them.
---

Submitted by Patricia Sherman

The receipt, unless the entry to which it refers be revoked or cancelled, entitles the homesteader to take, occupy, and cultivate the quarter section entered for, to hold possession of the same to the exclusion of any other person or persons whosoever, and to bring and maintain actions in law or equity against any wrong-doer or trespasser on the lands, as affectually as he could do under a patent of such land from the Crown, but not to sell any of the timber thereon to persons
other than homesteaders.

In case of death of the homesteader before completion of his homestead duties, his legal representatives succeed to the homestead right, but they, or some of them, must complete the necessary duties; in no case will a patent issue for a homestead unless the person applying is a British subject by birth or naturalization.

A homestead entry is liable to be cancelled at any time that the homesteader is found to be in default in the performance of his duties, or in case it is proved to the satisfaction of the Minister of the Interior that a settler has made any false statement in the affidavit in support of his application for entry.

Homestead duties may be performed as follows:

1.  By residence on homestead for at least six months in each of three years, dating from the time of perfecting entry by becoming an actual resident and by cultivation of the land to a reasonable extent.

2.  By continuous residence for 12 months after date of entry, 30 acres at least of cultivation, the erection of a habitable house, and payment for the land at current government price per acre (usually $10.00 per entry).

Six months is allowed in all cases for commencing the performance of duties and where entry is obtained after the 1st of September in any year the time is extended until the first of June following.

Residence on homestead cannot be done by proxy.

Any special leave of absence that may be granted shall not count as residence.

Any assignment, transfer, mortgage or charge, or any agreement to assign, transfer, mortgage or change a homestead right or any part thereof, before the homesteader shall have received a certificate of recommendation for patent in proper form is forbidden, and operates not only to forfeit the entry, but also to disqualify the person assigning or transferring from obtaining another entry.

Proof that a settler is entitled to a patent must be made before the Local Agent of Dominion Lands, a Homestead Inspector or an Intelligence Officer.  Failure to apply for patent for homestead within a period of
five years from date of entry renders right liable to foreclosure. After the settler has received his patent he can apply for an additional 160 acres as his pre-emption.

Nearly all the settlers in the Rosedale area never received their patent after three years because they could not break the required 30 acres in this heavily wooded district.  It seems the laws were changed as many
homesteaders received their patents with only 15 acres broken.  There ceased to be any justification for pre-emptions after the railroad became property owners.  Land was available from the railroad or the province.  A reasonable price was $3 an acre in 1901 on easy terms.
---
From: "Rosedale Remembers"
Submitted by: Patricia Sherman