VPRS 1189 Inward Registered Correspondence I

This series consists of inward correspondence received by the Colonial Secretary's Office between 1851 and 1855 and by the Chief Secretary's Department between 1855 and 1863. The contents of the series derive from the nature of the functional responsibility of these agencies.From 1851 the Colonial Secretary was the chief official of the government and the entire business of the colony was conducted either directly or indirectly through him. The heads of the various departments did not possess any power of independent action nor of direct communication with the Lieutenant Governor, nor could one head of department effect action through communication with another, except through the Colonial Secretary. No expenditure could be incurred and no departmental change effected without the concurrence and recommendation of the Colonial Secretary, who was also the only medium of communication between the Lieutenant Governor and the public.In 1855 the central role of the Colonial Secretary passed to the Chief Secretary whose department co-ordinated, in addition to various departmental branches, a wide variety of other agencies not specifically assigned to other Ministers. The Department also co-ordinated the policy of government and acted as a channel of communication between departments.Functions administered directly or indirectly through the Colonial Secretary's Office/Chief Secretarys Department between 1851 and 1863 included :- census and statistics;- education;- goldfields administration and mining, including the Chinese on the goldfields;- health;- immigration;- libraries;- police administration and prisons;- protection of Aborigines;- management and sale of Crown Lands, including pastoral leases;- public works and buildings;- roads and bridges;- care and control of lunatics;- registration of births, deaths and marriages;- registration of theatre licences;- art gallery and museum;- agriculture;- defence;- elections;- Royal Botanic Gardens and Herbarium.In addition the Colonial/Chief Secretary controlled the house-keeping business of government, especially authorisation of expenditure, and the appointment of civil service officers.The correspondence can be roughly categorised as follows:CORRESPONDENCE FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS/DEPARTMENTSCommunications concerning the general business performed by a particular department.Communications relating to the expenditure within a department, including:- requisitions for stationery, printed forms, bedding, clothing, tents, tools, horses, arms, ammunition, etc. and requests for improved or additional accommodation, i.e. new buildings or additions to old ones- arrangements for the payment of salaries, applications for increased salaries, complaints against the non-payment of salaries, applications for allowances such as clothing, fuel, food, equipment, travelling expenses.Communications concerning civil service staff within a department, including- applications for employment, recommendations from heads of departments for additional employees or for specific appointments, notifications of acceptance by an appointee, intimation of sureties- resignations, dismissals and inquiries into allegations of unsuitability for office- applications for leave of absence.Returns supplied by heads of departments in response to circular letters, including:- biennial returns of appointments and leaves of absence granted within a department- annual estimates of probable expenditure within a department, and returns of expenditure for the previous year.- reports as to the state of a department, e.g. the Colonial Treasurer for a time sent weekly reports, the Chief Commissioner of the Gold Fields sent weekly reports, other officials only sent half-yearly or yearly reports.Communications regarding the preparation of papers asked for by the Legislative Council for presentation to the House, as points of information, or during an inquiry into a department.Communications regarding compilation of annual Blue Books from the returns received from each Department.SEMI-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS CHURCHES, SCHOOLS,HOSPITALS, BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONSThe Colonial/Chief Secretary also received correspondence from organisations receiving grants of money from the government. These included churches, schools, hospitals, and benevolent institutions. Individual clergymen received remuneration for acting in the capacities of clergy to the gold fields and as Deputy Registrars of births, deaths and marriages for the Registrar General's department. Religious denominations received grants towards clerical stipends, and free land grants for the erection of churches and schools.APPOINTMENTSApart from appointments to specific vacancies, often proceeding through heads of departments, general applications for appointments to the civil service were made to the Colonial Secretary's Office/Chief Secretarys Department.LICENCESCommunications were received from parties seeking or holding licences of several types -storekeepers, brewers, publicans, entertainers, theatre licences etc.ELECTORAL OFFICERS (usually J.P.'s, Police Magistrates, Clerks of Petty Sessions)Although the Colonial Secretary was responsible for the execution of the Electoral Act, he delegated the responsibility of actively performing these duties to the Police Department officials associated with the Benches of Petty Sessions in the different districts, and to Mayors of Town Councils.TENDERS (Communications from parties holding contracts with government)The calling of tenders for government building, services such as mail contracts and fuel and food supplies, was authorised in the Colonial Secretary's Office. The project was approved, the notice calling for tenders authorised for publication in the Government Gazette, and terms of acceptance of the contract were drawn up for final approval.PERSONS AND PETITIONSMemorials, petitions, complaints, inquiries of the government by persons and associations of persons all passed through the Colonial Secretary's Office, whether addressed to heads of departments or the Lieutenant Governor. (see also VPRS 1192 Petitions)OTHER COLONIES AND THE COLONIAL AGENT GENERALThe Colonial Secretary was the official agent for communications on diverse matters with the other Australian colonies, and other British colonies.The Colonial Agent General represented the Victorian Government in London, and was mainly engaged in buying books and other requisitions on the Government's behalf, and supervising their shipment.GOVERNMENT GAZETTEAn important adjunct to Government, the Victorian Government Gazette was published under the authority of the Colonial Secretary, for the Lieutenant Governor. All notices were forwarded to his office, and from there to the Government Printer.GRANTS-IN-AIDThe Chief Secretary's Department itself administered categories known as "Grants in Aid" to Botanical Gardens, Agricultural Societies, Municipal Councils, Benevolent Asylums and Hospitals, Scientific bodies, e.g. Board of Science, Geological Surveyor, Magnetic Survey, etc., and "Miscellaneous Services", e.g. maintenance of deserted children. The institutions receiving "Grants in aid" corresponded with the Chief Secretary who supervised the distribution of grants, and required regular returns of expenses.A special fund for the Maintenance of Deserted Children was administered by the Chief Secretary who delegated the practical responsibility to the Police Department.