children who had been removed from them. The commission produced a report citing problems with the current policy, and concluded that the recommendations of Chief Protector Neville be followed. In response, the Native Administration Act 1936 made changes. The department was renamed the Department of the Native Affairs, and the department's Commissioner was now the legal guardian of every Aboriginal person in Western Australia to the age of 21 years. The Child Welfare Act 1947 allowed for Indigenous children to be made "wards of the state" and be outside of these powers. The Native Welfare Act 1954 evolved this department into the Department of Native Welfare. From 1963, the Commissioner ceased to be guardian of Aboriginal young people, and instead became responsible for their "custody, maintenance and education." The department became part of the multiracial Department of Community Welfare in 1972. Henry Charles Prinsep, Chief Protector of Aborigines, 1898–1907 Charles Frederick Gale, Chief Protector of Aborigines, 1907–1915 Auber Octavius Neville, Chief Protector of Aborigines, 1915–1936; Commissioner of Native Affairs, 1936–1940 Francis Illingworth Bray, Commissioner of Native Affairs, 1940–1947 Charles Lewis McBeath, Acting Commissioner of Native Affairs, 1947–1948 Stanley Guise Middleton, Commissioner of Native Affairs, 1948–1955; Commissioner of Native Welfare, 1955–1962 Frank Ellis Gare, Commissioner of Native Welfare, 1962–1972 Tasmania The Cape Barren Island Reserve Act 1912 made the Secretary for Lands, "charged with the duty of promoting the welfare and well-being of the residents of the Reserve, and of carrying out the provisions of this Act." This reserve was understood to be where all Tasmanians of Aboriginal ancestry lived. The 1912 Act was replaced by the Cape Barren Island Reserve Act 1945, under which no-one was charged with the protection of its residents. Edward Albert Counsel, Secretary for Lands (and charged under the relevant Act), 1912–1924 William Nevin Hurst, Secretary for Lands, 1924–1938 Colin Mackenzie Pitt, Acting Secretary for Lands, 1938; Secretary for Lands (and charged under the relevant Act), 1939–1945 Papua and New Guinea The Territory of Papua was given by the UK to Australia in 1902. It established a Department of Native Affairs and Control in 1910. The Territory of New Guinea was captured from Germany by Australia during World War I. The League of Nations granted it to Australia as a League of Nations mandate in 1919. It appointed a Protector of Natives in 1921, who was made the head of a new Department of Native Affairs