A shire is an administrative area of Great Britain and Australia. The first shires were created by the Anglo-Saxons in what is now central and southern England. Shires were controlled by a royal official known as a "shire reeve" or sheriff. Historically shires were sub-divided into hundreds or wapentakes although other less common sub-divisions existed. In modern English usage shires are sub-divided into districts.

Shires in Great Britain

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In England and Wales, the term "shire county" is used to refer to county level entities which are not metropolitan counties.

It can also be used in a narrower sense, referring only to traditional counties ending in "shire". These counties are typically (though not always) named after their county town.

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NEWS.com.au | Queensland

Woman with scissors scares off robber
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:24:00 -0000
A MAN armed with a knife grabbed an attendant during an attempted robbery of a Queensland convenience store overnight but fled when he was threatened with a pair of scissors.
Pilot, passengers survive chopper crash
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:40:00 -0000
A HELICOPTER has crashed near the Townsville Breakwater Marina, with minor injuries to the pilot and his three passengers.
Force of fatal smash snaps powerpole
Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:44:00 -0000
A MAN was killed instantly when his out of control car snapped a power pole in half northwest of Brisbane last night.
Up to 60,000 overcharged for power
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:56:00 -0000
UP to 60,000 southeast Queenslanders could be affected by power billing errors, says the state's Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson.
Men 'scared drivers with machine guns'
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:13:00 -0000
THREE men have been charged after allegedly threatening motorists with replica machine guns north of Cairns.
MP confirms petrol station hospital food
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:09:00 -0000
QUEENSLAND Health Minister Stephen Robertson says he's concerned criticism of the state's health system has become a "national sport", after it was revealed an outback hospital sourced patient meals from a service station.
Mum jailed for raping daughter acquitted
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:11:00 -0000
A QUEENSLAND court has overturned the conviction of a woman jailed for raping her eight-year-old daughter.
'Ballroom Blitz' brawl bikies jailed
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:49:00 -0000
TWO members of an outlaw motorcycle gang have been jailed for their involvement in the bloody Gold Coast "Ballroom Blitz" brawl, in which three people were shot and two others stabbed.
Haneef welcome to work here - MP
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:06:00 -0000
QUEENSLAND Health Minister Stephen Robertson says he would welcome Mohamed Haneef back to the state's hospitals, believing the Indian-born registrar was treated "absolutely appallingly".
Hospital food 'bought at petrol station'
Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:37:00 -0000
CLAIMS a Queensland hospital is buying patients' food from the local service station will be investigated by state Health Minister Stephen Robertson.

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