Editing Department of Internal Affairs (section)

===19th century===
The Department of Internal Affairs traces its roots back to the [[Colonial Secretary (New Zealand)|Colonial Secretary's Office]], which from the time New Zealand became a British [[colony]], in 1840, was responsible for almost all central government duties. The department was the first government department to be established in New Zealand, and it became the home for a diverse range of government functions providing services to New Zealanders and advice to Ministers of the Crown.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=History of the Department |url=http://www.dia.govt.nz/About-Internal-Affairs---Department-structure---History-of-the-Department |access-date=22 January 2025 |publisher=The Department of Internal Affairs}}</ref>  A former [[Minister of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)|Minister of Internal Affairs]], [[Michael Bassett]], wrote a history of the department, ''The Mother of All Departments'', the title of which reflects this status.<ref>[[Michael Bassett|Bassett, Michael]] ''The Mother of All Departments'' (1997, Auckland University Press, Auckland) {{ISBN|1-86940-175-1}}</ref> The department's role has changed over time as new departments and ministries have been formed.<ref name="History" />

The [[Colonial Secretary of New Zealand|Colonial Secretary]] was the chief aide of the [[Governor-General of New Zealand|governor of New Zealand]]. Until 1848 his office dealt with all correspondence between the governor and his employees, and between officials and the public. Other early functions included inspecting sheep, running prisons, supervising government printing, licensing auctioneers, registering births, deaths and marriages, collecting statistics, and responsibility for gambling, fire brigades, constitutional matters (including running elections) and citizenship.<ref name="History" /> Some of these functions are still duties of the modern department, which gained its present name in 1907, but other functions eventually grew into standalone government agencies. As the department's functions have changed over time, there has become a growing acknowledgement that it carries responsibility for all government functions which are not substantial enough to justify a standalone organisation or do not fit well into any other existing departments.<ref name="History" />

From 1853 the Colonial Secretary's Office coordinated the relationship between central government and provincial government and, when the provinces were abolished in 1876, took on responsibility for the new [[Local government in New Zealand|system of local government]].<ref name="History" />