DEPARTMENT OF SECRETARY OF STATE. 193 The Departments of State are at present as follows, but Depart- provision has been made by two recent Acts, 50 and 51 Vie. So ot ce. 10 and 11, for consolidating the Departments of Customs and of Inland Revenue in one, to be placed under the Minister of Trade and Commerce or under a Minister of Finance :— 1. 2. 3. 4. 3 5. 7 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 18. 14. 15 Secretary of State. Public Printing and Stationery. Interior. Inland Revenue, Customs. Finance. Public Works. Railways and Canals. Post-Office. Justice. Agriculture. Marine and Fisheries Militia and Defence. Indian Affairs. High Commissioner. |. DEPARTMENT OF SECRETARY OF STATE. This department was constituted by the 81 Vic. ec. 42. It is presided over by the Secretary of State, who is assisted in the discharge of his duties by an Under-Secretary. The department has charge of the state correspondence Repl and keeps all state records and papers not specially trans- abies. ferred to other departments. A special branch of the department called the Register Register Branch is charged with the registration of all writs of summons, proclamations, commissions, letters patent, letters patent of land, writs and other instruments and documents issued under the Great Seal, and all bonds, warrants of 2?