Herbert Charles Brown (public servant)

Herbert Charles Brown CBE
Secretary of the Department of Markets
In office August 1928 – 10 December 1928
Secretary of the Department of Markets and Transport
In office 10 December 1928 – 21 April 1930
Secretary of the Department of Transport
In office 1 May 1930 – 12 April 1932
Secretary of the Department of the Interior
In office 12 April 1932 – 1935
Commonwealth Auditor-General
In office 1935–1938
Personal details
Born	1874
Died	16 July 1940 (aged 67)
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Public servant

Herbert Charles Brown CBE (1874 – 1940) was a senior Australian public servant best known for his time as Commonwealth Auditor-General in the late 1930s.

Life and career

Brown was born in 1874, and joined the New South Wales public service in 1891.[1]

Brown served for 12-years in the Postmaster-General's Department, before joining the Department of Home Affairs. He then became an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Works and Railways, then a chief clerk and accountant in the Prime Minister's Department.[2]

In 1928, Brown was appointed Secretary of the Department of Markets.[3] He became Secretary of the expanded Department of Markets and Transport at the end of that year.[4]

Brown was Secretary of the Department of Transport between 1930 and 1932.[5] His salary was initially set at £1,100 per year, and his responsibilities included Commonwealth railways, assisted Migration from Britain, and lighthouses, light ships, beacons and buoys.[6]

When the Department of the Interior was created in 1932, amalgamating the Departments of Home Affairs, Transport and Works and Railways, Brown was appointed to be its head.[7] Having served as head of the Department of the Interior for over three years, Brown was appointed Commonwealth Auditor-General in November 1935.[7]

Brown died on 16 July 1940, aged 67.[8] His death was at home after a short illness.[9][10]

Awards

Brown was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1933 whilst Secretary of the Department of the Interior.[11]

References

1. "Markets. New Secretary: Mr. H. C. Brown appointed". The Canberra Times. 25 July 1928. p. 4.
2. "Federal Service Promotions". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 4 November 1935. p. 8.
3. CA 21: Department of Markets [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 13 March 2020, retrieved 21 February 2015
4. "Round the Departments". The Canberra Times. 7 December 1929. p. 2.
5. CA 26: Department of Transport [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 21 February 2015
6. Order. Administrative Arrangements (PDF), Australian Government, 1 May 1930, archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2014
7. "Federal Service. New Appointments. London Official Secretaryship". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 November 1935. p. 10.
8. "Mr. H. C. Brown". Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW. 19 July 1940. p. 5.
9. "Obituary: Mr. H. C. Brown, C.B.E.- Former Commonwealth Auditor-General". Advocate. Burnie, Tasmania. 18 July 1940. p. 2.
10. "Former Auditor General Dead". Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW. 17 July 1940. p. 1.
11. "Search Australian Honours: BROWN, Herbert Charles, Award: The Order of the British Empire - Commander (Civil)", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 February 2015

Government offices
Preceded by Edward Joseph Mulvany	Secretary of the Department of Markets 1928	Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Markets and Transport
Preceded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Markets	Secretary of the Department of Markets and Transport 1928 – 1930	Succeeded by Edward Joseph Mulvany as Secretary of the Markets
		Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Transport
Preceded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Markets and Transport	Secretary of the Department of Transport 1930 – 1932	Succeeded by Edward Joseph Mulvany as Secretary of the Department of Commerce
		Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of the Interior
Preceded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Transport	Secretary of the Department of the Interior 1932 – 1935	Succeeded by Joseph Carrodus
Preceded by Percy Deane as Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs
Preceded by Percival Gourgaud as Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways
Preceded by Charles Cerutty	Commonwealth Auditor-General 1935 – 1938	Succeeded by Ralph Abercrombie