Colonial Secretary Guide - Flipbook - Page 10
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INTRODUCTION
The correspondence of the Colonial Secretary is one of the most valuable sources of information on all
aspects of the history of the Colony and the State of New South Wales. Chiefly responsible for this was
the Colonial Secretary's pre-eminence in public life and the fortunate occurrence of the survival of the
greater part of his papers. Included among these are earlier papers of the Secretary to the Governor taken
over by the first Colonial Secretary, Frederick Goulburn, on his appointment in 1821. After responsible
government in 1856 the Colonial Secretary (at times known as the Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary)
was frequently also Premier, and papers relating to this aspect of his work (until a separate Premier's
Department was established in 1907) may also be found here.
History of the Office
The British Government in establishing the convict settlement at Botany Bay was little concerned with
such administrative details as who would be responsible for the records of the colony. Not even a
secretary was appointed for Governor Phillip, far less a registrar, and this lack of an official keeper of the
records was not corrected until Frederick Goulburn reached Sydney in 1820 with a commission as
"Secretary and Registrar of the Records".
Yet the Governor was responsible for almost all aspects of the inhabitants' lives and these activities had to
be recorded. Phillip and his successors regulated the supply of rations, they granted lands, they allotted
convicts to those who could employ them. They gave assistance to settlers and established Government
stores. They fixed the prices of commodities, the rates of wages, and the hours of labour. They imposed
tolls and duties. They gave and withdrew licences to trade. They established and controlled markets.
They checked the weights and measures, struck a currency and fixed the rate of interest. They mustered
the population periodically and published orders which forbade the holding of seditious meetings. They
caused the different courts to be assembled, they examined and modified the penalties which the courts
imposed. They made provision for the maintenance of order. (1)
These activities were carried out through the Governor's senior officers: the Deputy Judge Advocate; the
Commissary; the Principal Surgeon; the Chaplain; the Surveyor General; the Principal Superintendent of
Convicts; the commander of the forces and the senior naval officer; and most particularly the Governor's
Secretary.
Hence Phillip, lacking a secretary on the establishment when he arrived in Botany Bay, soon felt the want
of a close and confidential subordinate who could relieve him of some of the details of administration.
Needing a man of integrity, Phillip appointed the Commissary Andrew Miller to do the extra duty. It
was one of the first of many dual appointments that troubled the colony for years, for want of enough
available talent. But the Commissary had work enough to do of his own and in mid-June 1788, after less
than five months, Miller returned to full-time duty at the Commissariat. Phillip then appointed David
Collins, the Deputy Judge Advocate in his place. (2)
Collins, an officer of marines, was wisely chosen and his outstanding personal qualities were important in
establishing the role and function of the Secretary to the Governor, or Secretary to the Colony as the
position was sometimes called. For the next eight years, quietly and efficiently, he was the indispensable
aide to the officer administering the Government of New South Wales. He kept apart from the local
factions and he earned the confidence of Phillip and his successors. Even as early as November 1788
Major Ross was complaining to Under Secretary Nepean that the Governor "communicates nothing to
any person here but to his secretary", (3) and it is perhaps indicative of the importance already attaching
to the position that Ross spoke of Captain Collins as Secretary, not as Judge Advocate.
Collins left Sydney in September 1796 and it was one of Hunter's misfortunes that there was none to take
his place as Secretary. For twenty-one months Hunter was his own secretary, aided by unreliable clerks.
The post remained vacant until Richard Dore, the first legal man to settle in the colony, arrived in May
1798 as the new Judge Advocate.