AGY-14 | Department of Justice and Public Instruction

Full description

Upon establishment the Department was responsible for the supervision and control of the following
* Supreme and Circuit Courts;
* Insolvency Court;
* the Sheriff;
* District Courts;
* Quarter Sessions;
* Clerks of Petty Sessions;
* Police Magistrates;
* Prisons Department;
* the University, Affiliated Colleges and Grammar School;
* Public Instruction under An Act to make better provision for Public Education, 1866 (Vic 30, Act No 22);
* the Australian Museum;
* Free Public Library;
* the Observatory;
* School of Arts and Educational Asylums;
* Industrial School and Reformatory Schools;
* Orphanages;
* the Council of Education, and other educational establishments (1).

It appears that responsibility for prisons and Industrial Schools was never transferred to the Department. The Department retained responsibility for the remainder of the functions until 1880.

The passage of the Public Instruction Act, 1880 caused a division of the functions of the Department. The New South Wales Government Gazette of 1 May, 1880 advised that the following responsibilities had been transferred to the Minister for Public Instruction
* Administration of the Public Instruction Act, 1880
* The University and Affiliated Colleges
* The Grammar Schools and other Scholastic Institutions aided from the Consolidated Revenue
* The Free Public Library and Free Libraries
* The Observatory and Museum
* The Literary and Scientific Institutions aided from Consolidated Revenue
* Public Scholarships
* Industrial Schools and Charitable Schools aided from consolidated revenue
* Orphan Schools aided from Consolidated Revenue
* All Lands dedicated to the purposes of Public Instruction by Act of Parliament or otherwise. (2)

The remaining responsibilities formed the new Department of Justice. These administrative arrangements were confirmed by the New South Wales Government Gazette of 15 September, 1880. (3)


FOOTNOTES
(1) NSW Government Gazette, 9 December, 1873, p. 3447
(2) Public Instruction Act, 1880 s.1; NSW Government Gazette, 5 May, 1880, p.2129.
(3) New South Wales Government Gazette, 15 September, 1880 p. 4790

REFERENCES
(1) Archives Authority of New South Wales. Concise Guide, D - G. Education, p.34.
(2) Dept of Justice, Handbooks, Sydney, Government Printer 1892, 1893.
(3) Blue Books 1873 - 1880, Sydney, Government Printer, 1873 - 1880.