The Chief Secretary’s Department became part of the new Tasmanian public service in 1901. It coordinated the administrative business of government. In 1914, the Chief Secretary’s Department and Premier’s Office replaced 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. Between 1912 and 1918, the Under-Secretary was also the Secretary of the Neglected Children’s Department.
According to Wettenhall, until about 1916, 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 1901 and 1911, the Neglected Children’s and the Charitable Grants Departments were sub-departments within the Chief Secretary’s Department. In 1911-12, the Under-Secretary took direct control of the two sub-departments.
The close relationship between the Chief Secretary’s Department, the Neglected Children’s Department, and the Charitable Grants Department means that there is considerable information about the last two in the records of the Chief Secretary’s Department.