Colony of Tasmania
The Chief Secretary's Department was established in 1882. It coordinated the administrative business of the Tasmanian government. Between 1896 and 1901, the Neglected Children's Department was a part of the Chief Secretary's Department. In 1901, following Australian federation, Tasmania became a state and the new state government took over the Chief Secretary's Department.
The Under-Secretary was in charge of the Chief Secretary's Department. In this role, he corresponded with children, occasionally visited them, and made decisions about their placements.
According to Wettenhall, a small Immigration Department, which did not have any staff of its own, was located within the Chief Secretary's Department. It was not very active.
Between 1898 and 1901, the Neglected Children's and the Charitable Grants Departments were sub-departments within the Chief Secretary's Department. The close relationship between the three means that there is considerable information about the Neglected Children's and Charitable Grants Departments in the records of the Chief Secretary's Department.
1882 - 1901 Chief Secretary's Department
1901 - 1914 Chief Secretary's Department
1914 - 1955 Chief Secretary's Department and Premier's Office
1955 - 1976 Premier's and Chief Secretary's Department
1976 - 1985 Premier's Department
1985 - Department of Premier and Cabinet
Sources used to compile this entry: Evans, Caroline, Protecting the Innocent: Tasmania's Neglected Children, Their Parents and State Care, 1890-1918, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 1999, 251 pp, http://eprints.utas.edu.au/14453/; Wettenhall, RL, A Guide to Tasmanian Government Administration, Platypus Publications, Hobart, 1968, 206 pp.
Prepared by: Caroline Evans
Created: 19 November 2013, Last modified: 13 February 2019
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/tas/biogs/TE00731b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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