The Northern Territory Aboriginals Department was established under the provisions of the Northern Territory Aboriginals Act 1910. This South Australian Act was passed just before the Northern Territory came under Commonwealth control. The Aboriginals Department was responsible for the control and welfare of Aboriginal people. The Department was established under the Chief Protector, the legal guardian of every Aboriginal child. In 1928 the administrative work of this Department and that of the Department of Public Health was merged and the responsible agency was named the Health and Aboriginals Branch.