Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1920-01-01 - 1948-12-31 (Creation)
- 1920-01-01 - 1948-12-31 (Accumulation)
Level of description
Medium
Format
Status
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
In 1936, following the recommendation of the Moseley Royal Commission and the subsequent amendment of the Aborigines Act 1905, functions of the Aborigines Department were considerably increased and its name was at the same time changed to that of the Department of Native Affairs.
In 1947, the portfolio of the Minister for Native Affairs was created and a year later the Bateman Survey recommended drastic changes in the organisation of the department. These changes were duly carried out in the following year.
In 1954, the name of the department was changed to the Department of Native Welfare and its duties and functions were laid down by the Native Administration Act of that year.
Name of creator
Administrative history
Name of creator
Administrative history
As well as the State's fisheries, this department had control of Aboriginal affairs for the area below latitude 25 degrees South. (The Department of the North West had control of Aboriginal affairs for the area above latitude 25 degrees South).
The Fisheries Department was a sub-department of the Colonial Secretary's Office (1920-1924), the Chief Secretary's Department (1924-1932, 1949-1953) the Premier's Department (1933-1938), and the Department of the North West (1939-1948) until 1953 when it achieved the status of a separate department.
In 1964 the growing importance of the Department's fauna conservation activities was acknowledged by a change of name to the Department of Fisheries and Fauna.
As well as the Fisheries Act, the Department administered the Game Act, the Fauna Protection Act and the Wildlife Conservation Act.
Repository
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Between 1920 and 1948, the departments responsible for Aboriginal affairs for that period (Fisheries Department, Aborigines Department, Department of Native Affairs) compiled a series of personal cards relating to Aboriginal people who were removed from different areas of the State and sent to Carrolup and Moore River Native Settlements.
There are approximately 5, 500 cards in this collection which contain information extracted from Department of Native Affairs personal files (copies of which are now held by the Department of Community Development). The cards contain information pertaining to parentage, employment, marriage or de facto relationships, birth and death details of family members, removal of children, as well as health and police-related information.
The cards are arranged in a numerical sequence according their card number. Some card numbers are preceeded by an "A" but both these cards and those cards that have just a plain numerical registration are interfiled in one sequence in this series.
In 2004, the original personal cards were transferred to the State Records Office and a microfilm copy of these cards was provided to the Department of Indigenous Affairs. Access to information from these cards is to be made to through the Department of Indigenous Affairs.