Following some years of protracted discussion and considerable argument, on 4 July 1905, the Shire of Mutdapilly was abolished and absorbed into an enlarged Shire of Rosewood.[1] The rationale for this amalgamation was that the two shires were too small to be economical, with 30% of income going to office expenses; a combined shire was expected to have more funds for roads.[7] The normal shire council elections that would normally have been held at the start of 1905 were delayed pending the finalisation of the amalgamation.[8] The former Mutdapilly Shire would constitute 2 divisions within the new shire, each returning 2 members, while the former Rosewood would constitute 1 division within the new shire, returning 3 members.[9]