AGY-1924 | Government Asylums for the Infirm Branch

Full description

The Government assumed responsibility for asylums for the infirm and destitute in March 1862 following a Select Committee inquiry into the provision made for the destitute by the Benevolent Society, which found the Society's institutions seriously overcrowded and provision inadequate. (1)

On 3 March 1862 the Governor appointed a Board to administer and approve applications for admission to the Government Asylums, at Liverpool, Hyde Park Barracks, and Parramatta. The Board operated within the Colonial Secretary's Department as the Government Asylums for the Infirm and Destitute Branch. (2)

In 1867 the Public Institutions Inspection Act came into effect, and provided for the appointment of an Inspector of Public Charities to inspect and conduct inquiries into the management of all hospitals, infirmaries, orphan schools, and charitable institutions wholly or in part supported by grants from public revenue. (3) In 1869 the Secretary of the Board administering the Government Asylums held a dual office, being appointed the Inspector of Public Charities also. (4) On 25 March 1876 the Board was replaced and the Government Asylums Branch was administered by a Manager. (5)

On 27 August 1888 when the office of Inspector of Public Charities was abolished and replaced by the Department of Charitable Institutions, the Government Asylums Branch was administered by this Department, with the head of the new Department appointed as Director of Government Asylums for the Infirm. At this time Asylums were maintained at Newington, George St, Parramatta, Macquarie St, Parramatta, and Liverpool. (6) By 1911 the Branch administered State Hospitals and Asylums for the Infirm at Rookwood, Liverpool, Newington, Macquarie St, Parramatta, George St, Parramatta, Cottage Homes for Aged Couples, Parramatta, and the Waterfall State Hospital for Consumptives. (7)

On 1 March 1913 the Department of Public Health assumed responsibility for the administration of the Government Asylums Branch when the Department of Charitable Institutions, now known as the Metropolitan Hospital and Charities Department, became amalgamated with the Department of Public Health.(8)

FOOTNOTES
1. Report from the Select Committee on the Benevolent Society, Sydney, 7 January 1862, Votes and Proceedings 1861-62, Vol 2, p.910.
2. NSW Government Blue Book 1864, p.29.
3. Public Institutions Inspection Act, 1866 (30 Vic. Act No.19), s.1.
4. NSW Government Blue Book 1870, p.33.
5. NSW Government Blue Book 1877, p.36.
6. NSW Government Blue Book 1888, p.35.
7. Report of the Inspector General of Metropolitan Hospitals and Charities of NSW, on the Metropolitan Hospitals for the year ended 31 December 1911, and on the State Hospitals and Asylums for the Infirm of NSW for the year ended 30 June 1911, in Parliamentary Papers 1912, Vol. 1, p.869.
8. Report of the Director General of Public Health for the year ended 31 December 1913, in Votes and Proceedings 1914-15, Vol. 4, p.175.