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The series consists of Unemployment Relief Committee files kept by the Provincial Secretary from 1931 to 1933. The files contain records regarding the provision of direct relief for unemployed men and include: organization charts, financial information, circulars, copies of registration forms, correspondence between Provincial departments as well as intergovernmental correspondence between the Provincial and Federal or Municipal governments. There are also memoranda prepared for the Provincial Secretary and reports and requests for information from the Provincial Police, Government Agents, District Engineers and other groups.

The series consists of records created by the Deputy Provincial Secretary between 1914 and 1933 pertaining to the administration of funds for the "aid of the destitute, poor, and sick."

Between 1872 and 1942, an annual vote of funds was included in the estimates of the B.C. legislature. The fund, which was administered by the Office of the Provincial Secretary, originally contained $500. By 1935, this figure had risen to $110,000; but in the fund's final year of existence, 1943, the vote of funds had declined to $40,000.

The Indigent Fund, unlike the Mother's Pension, the Old Age Pension (1927), or the Veterans Assistance plans was not tied to an Act of Parliament, and thus relief was provided to people under a wide range of circumstances, and included many who failed to qualify for assistance under specific federal or provincial schemes. The fund was designed to meet the immediate and shortterm needs of rural B.C. residents (municipalities had their own funds) who through misfortune or bad planning had found themselves without "the necessities of life." The key to the fund, until the early 1930s, when the position of Superintendent of Welfare was created, was the Deputy Provincial Secretary, for it was often at his discretion that assistance was provided. He was aided in his duties by the various Government Agents, who were responsible for handling vouchers, disbursing cheques, and reporting to Victoria any new developments in individual cases. They, in turn, were assisted by Provincial Police constables who usually investigated each case and submitted a report.

The records consist of correspondence inward and outward from the Deputy Provincial Secretary's office; correspondence from Government Agents to the Deputy Provincial Secretary; Provincial Police reports on the condition of Indigents; correspondence from indigents or persons representing them to the Premier, Ministers, and the Deputy Provincial Secretary; and miscellaneous correspondence to and from various government departments and agencies such as Workman's Compensation Board, Department of Immigration, public hospitals, police departments etc.

The files are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the indigent. They are not, however, arranged alphabetically within each folder. There are two alphabetical series, as well as two sets of files titled "miscellaneous". All files have been preserved in their original order.

This series consists of correspondence, memoranda and notes regarding salary adjustments in the Provincial Secretary's Department.

Copy of a memorandum (undated) to P.D. Walker, Deputy Provincial Secretary, from Rodney DeLisle, District Agriculturalist (Columbia-Kootenay), describing his visit to Colony Farm at the Provincial Mental Hospital (Essondale), Alexandra Ranch at Tranquille Sanatorium and the Provincial Industrial School for Boys at Port Coquitlam in 1930.

This series consists of a record of personnel showing position, grade, and salary in all branches of the Department of the Provincial Secretary.

This series consists of correspondence inward and outward, and interdepartmental memos of the Provincial Secretary, pertaining to provincial mental health care institutions, mothers' pensions, child welfare, and adoption laws from 1918-1926.

The series contains records pertaining to the care of indigents and destitute persons created by the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary between 1911 and 1925.

Files consist of applications for relief, supporting documents from police constables and government agents, case files, administrative reports, and general correspondence. Reports on unemployment in specific communities in British Columbia, ca. 1911-1918 are also included.

Records created prior to 1923 were filed numerically and constituted a separate records series within the Provincial Secretary's office. Records created after 1923 were kept alphabetically, by name of applicant. Regrettably, contemporary registers and indices for these records have not survived.

Although it was "the duty of every city and district municipality to make suitable provision for its poor" [Municipal Act, RSBC 1911, c.170 s.526], the Department of the Provincial Secretary was largely responsible for the care of indigents and other destitute people in British Columbia. In fact, prior to the creation of the Department of Health and Welfare in 1946, the Provincial Secretary's office was often the only source of support for deserted wives and children, indigent widows and elderly persons, disabled workers and others in need of public welfare.

The Provincial Secretary administered funds to such groups through charitable accounts, the Workmen's Compensation Board, the Provincial Board of Health, and other agencies. At the local level, relief payments were often distributed by Provincial Police constables or Government Agents.

This series consists of 5 volumes of indexes to letterbook correspondence outward of the Provincial Secretary, 1919-1924.

This series consists of 31 volumes of the Provincial Secretary's indexes and registers to letters inward, 1872-1910 and 1918-1924.

This series consists of 11 volumes of letter book correspondence outward of the Provincial Secretary, 1919-1924.

This series consists of indexes, lists and oaths of office of Justices of the Peace, Stipendiary Magistrates, Police Magistrates, Police Constables, Commissioners, Coroners, and other government officials from 1874-1923.

Annotated copy of the Schedule referred to in order-in-council 911/23, regarding confirmation of Indian reserves, new reserves, and the reduction and cut-offs of reserves within various British Columbia Indian Agencies. The Schedule amended the work of the Commission on Indian Lands and Indian Affairs in general in British Columbia, 1913-1916, and is commonly known as the Ditchburn-Clark Report. This copy of the Schedule has been "certified correct" by William E. Ditchburn (for the Dominion government) and John William Clark (representing the provincial government) and is dated 10 May 1923. See also GR-0931.

The series consists of correspondence of the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary with the Civil Service Commissioner from 1920 to 1922 regarding interpretation of the Superannuation Act and representations made by the Provincial Civil Service Association on various matters.

The series consists of financial statements solicited by the Provincial Secretary's office in 1920. Forms were sent to hospitals throughout the province requesting that each hospital provide the cost of constructing and equipping their hospital for the period 1903 to 1920. Some of the completed forms are accompanied by correspondence.

This series consists of registers and indexes of individuals appointed to positions in the government service, 1871-1919.

This series consists of correspondence from the Department of the Provincial Secretary regarding government employees on military service, record of government employees on military service, 1914-1919.

This series consists of three volumes: a List of notaries, 1872-1906; index of appointments of notaries public, 1881-1914; and register of notaries public, 1884-1918.

The series consists of a minute book of the Provincial Committee for the Care and Provision of Returned Soldiers created by the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary between 1915 and 1918.

Proclamations and related records from the colony and province of British Columbia, 1858-1918.

This series consists of 104 volumes of letter book copies of correspondence outward from the Provincial Secretary, 1873-1918. The index to correspondence missing.

This series consists of correspondence inward with replies, of the Provincial Secretary, 1914-1918. Correspondence is arranged by year then alphabetically by subject. Some subjects included in the correspondence:

Canadian Explosives, Ltd., Prince Rupert; Curfew Law in Creston; Dominion Royal Commission Publications; Doukhobors; Congregation of Emanuel, Victoria; flags of foreign consulates; parliamentary franchise be extended to women; Industrial School for Boys; Provincial Jail jury lists; Japanese Consulate; Immigration Branch; marine and fisheries; Marriage Act; Walter Moberly; Observatory; railways; cemetery - Quesnel; Colonial Lumber and Paper Mills Co. Ltd.; Drainage, Dyking and Irrigation; Dyking Districts - Dewdney, Island West, West Langley; jury list; Mission City; Regimental Fund (British Columbia Regiment): British Columbia Electric Railway (Jitney Bus Competition); H.D. Ruggles (Commission-Police Magistrate); Water Works - Sidney; census and statistics office; cemetery-Hazelton; Dyking Districts Projects; Japanese memorial; Workmen's Compensation Act; application to Land Dept. for agricultural development; Census and Statistics Office; Cemeteries; Coroners' inquests; juror lists; jails; Indian Rights Association of British Columbia; Sir Richard McBride's funeral; Public Health Journal (mental health); British Columbia Prohibition Act - Woman Suffrage and Military Forces voting Acts; Returned Soldiers Commission; J.A. Russell regarding taxation; Tupper in respect to Western Power Co. of Canada Ltd. (Water Act); Mary Velleuoweth estate: Vancouver Joint Sewerage and Drainage Board; University of British Columbia Library; Alberni Pacific Lumber Co.; agriculture; Cattle Rangers Act; Cemeteries - Chinese; College Dental Surgeons; Johnson re Chinese camp at William Head; Public Inquiries Act; prohibition; Dept. of Soldier's Civil re-establishment; establishment of steel industry; Special Surveys Act; Vancouver Island Settler's Right.

This series consists of one volume of a roll of coroners, 1899-1917.

This series consists of applications for admission to the Provincial Home for the Aged and Infirm (Kamloops), comprised of forms pursuant to the Provincial Home Act, 1893, and related correspondence, 1895-1917.

This series contains letters inward to the Department of the Provincial Secretary, 1892-1917. During the period covered by GR-1330 (1892-1917) the Provincial Secretary was variously responsible for the departments of Mines, Education and Immigration. Within these departments he was responsible for the Legislative Library and Archives, the Queen's Printer, the Bureau of Statistics, the Civil Service Commission, and various agencies concerned with health and social welfare. The multiplicity of his duties accounts for the range and diversity of the records in GR-1330.

Among the records are correspondence to, and from, the Lieutenant-Governor and the Executive Council, correspondence from Dominion officials concerning colonization and settlement, applications from organizations wishing to register under the Benevolent Societies Act, memoranda of association from businesses seeking to be incorporated under the provincial Companies Act, petitions from community groups requesting schools and improved municipal services, plus letters from private persons applying for appointments in the civil service. Also included are records arising from the administration of the provincial elections, hospitals, and asylums.

This series contains a mailing list for provincial government publications.

This series contains schedules of returns of convictions.

Register of visitors to the Parliament Buildings.

This series consists of correspondence from the Provincial Secretary concerning the Guarantee Insurance Company of North America, 1895-1916.

The series consists of correspondence, 1913-1916, that was originally a part of the Provincial Secretary's Central Registry. The records include grant applications from charitable organizations (e.g. Salvation Army Rescue and Maternity Home, Vancouver); petitions from various citizens groups and trades organizations (e.g. re: Pacific Great Eastern railway, prohibition, and Weekly Half Holiday Act); plus files on diverse topics such as the Belgian Relief Fund (which was administered by the Provincial Secretary), the Progress Club of Vancouver, the provincial coat-of-arms, prohibition, half-day closing, the Provincial Archives and W.W. Walkem's "Stories of Early British Columbia".

This series consists of correspondence inward from the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs (also known as the McKenna–McBride Commission) transmitting interim and draft reports, progress reports, minutes of decision, and confidential report to the Department of the Provincial Secretary, 1913-1916. The bulk of this record comprises a manuscript copy of the Commission's published report.