Aborigines' Office, and successor agencies (GRG52)

The instructions in July 1836 from the S.A. Colonization Commissioners to the Resident Commissioner, J. Hurtle Fisher, required the appointment of an officer appointed for the special welfare of the Aborigines. (1) This office, known as that of the Protector of Aborigines, was held ad interim by George Stevenson, Capt. Walter Bromley and William Wyatt until the gazetted appointment on 20 June 1839 of Matthew Moorhouse. (2) Moorhouse held the position until his resignation on 31 March 1856, after which it was held ex officio by the Commissioner of Crown Lands until the appointment on 21 November 1861 of John Walker. (3)

On May 17th, 1866 a notice was placed in the Government Gazette by the Crown Lands Office, to wit " Notice is hereby given, that on and after the 14th instant, the correspondence and other details connected with the Aborigines Branch of this Department, will be carried on by the Protector of Aborigines ..." (3a). In this year files bearing the title 'Aborigines Office' were used for the first time (GRG52/1). Following Walker's death on 26 September 1868 the office was not again filled until 1888, the work being done by Sub-protectors reporting direct to the Commissioner of Crown Lands. (4)

Until 1891, the Aborigines Office came under the Minister for Crown Lands and Immigration. Between 1892 and 1901 the Minister of Agriculture and Education was the responsible minister; subsequently the office came under the Treasurer and Commissioner for Crown Lands and Immigration (1902-1903), the Attorney-General and Minister of Education (1904-1905), Commissioner of Public Works and Minister of Education (1906-1908), and Commissioner of Public Works thereafter. (5)

From 1912, the Aborigines' Office became the Aborigines' Department, although this appears to have been initially a change in name only, the only staff in addition to the Chief Protector of Aborigines and the Sub-Protector, Far North (a position filled, without salary, by the Sub-Inspector of Police at Port Augusta) being a junior clerk. (6) In February 1918, an Advisory Council of Aborigines was appointed under powers given by the Aborigines Act, 1911. (7) This development would appear to have been prompted by the reports of the Royal Commission on the Aborigines (1913-1916) which had pointed out that the existing staff of the Aborigines "department" (consisting of the Chief Protector of Aborigines and a junior clerk) was inadequate and had recommended the establishment of an advisory board of six honorary members rather than direct Government control of the existing mission stations (Point McLeay, Point Pearce, Killalpaninna and Koonibba). (8)

In 1936, South Australia's centenary year, the initial impetus for an Aborigines' Protection Board came from the Aborigines of Point McLeay Mission Station with a petition to the House of Assembly with a total of 103 signatures (13). In 1940, legislation was passed abolishing the office of Chief Protector of Aborigines and the Advisory Council, replacing them with an Aborigines' Protection Board consisting of the Commissioner of Public Works, Prof. J.B. Cleland, Constance Mary Cooke, J.P., Alice Maude Johnston, Rev. Canon S.T.C. Best, Dr. Charles Duguid and Leonard John Cook, with W.R. Penhall as Secretary. (9)

In March 1964, following the proclamation on 28 February of the Aboriginal Affairs Act, a new Board (known as the Aboriginal Affairs Board) was created, and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was upgraded to the administrative capacity of other Departments, with the creation of three new senior positions under a Director. On 1 July 1970, the Social Welfare Department and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs amalgamated to form the Department of Social Welfare and Aboriginal Affairs. In 1972 this department was re-badged as the Department for Community Welfare, with responsibility for Aboriginal affairs being undertaken by the Aboriginal Resources Division.

On 1 December 1973, the functions of the Aboriginal Resources Division of the Department of Community Welfare were transferred to the Australian Department of Aboriginal Affairs, although the State Government retained responsibility for the administration of reserves and for general welfare services. For a full administrative history of aboriginal affairs in South Australia, including the Northern Territory during the period of South Australian administration see State Records publication 'A Little Flour and a Few Blankets' in Research Centres.

Same agency as GA1930 - different system of archival control.

Note: In 1916 the spelling Point 'Pierce' was changed to Point 'Pearce'. (14)

First ordinance relating to Aboriginal prisoners - Aboriginal Prisoners 7 and 8 Vic., 1844, No. 11.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1) William Oldham, 'Land Policy of South Australia 1830-1842'.
(2) A.A. Lendon, "Notes on the Early Protectors of Aborigines" (Archives 1141).
(3) Notes compiled in Archives, A589.
(3a) South Australian Government Gazette, May 17, 1866, p.489.
(4) Letters sent by the Aborigines Office were signed by W. Birch, Clerk, September 1868 - December 1871; by J.H. Biggs, Clerk, January - December 1872; ditto, as Sub-Protector, to September 1873; by E.L. Hamilton, Sub-Protector of Aborigines, to February 1908; ditto, as Protector of Aborigines, to February 1908. W.G. South was appointed as protector of Aborigines from 1 March 1908. (GRG 52/7; See also S.A. Government Gazette, 25 September 1872, 28 August and 4 September 1878 and GRG 52/1/1908 un-numbered file).
(5) S.A. Parliamentary Papers, No. 2 of each year.
(6) Progress report of the Royal Commission on the Aborigines, S.A. Parliamentary Papers, 1913 No. 26.
(7) GRG 52/12/1; S. A. Government Gazette 24 January 1918.
(8) S.A. Parliamentary Papers 1913 No. 26, 1916 No. 21.
(9) S.A. Parliamentary Papers 1940 No. 20.
(10) S.A. Parliamentary Papers 1964 No. 20
(11) S.A. Parliamentary Debates, 1973/1974 p. 1773 (14 November 1973) and p. 2208 (27 February 1974).
(12) Government Gazette 23 April 1970 p 1461.
(13) GRG52/1/31/1936.
(14) GRG18/167 surname 'Francis'.