 The Department was established under the Liberal Government of New Zealand in 1891 as the Bureau of Industries with Edward Treager as its sole employee.The following year, when W. Pember Reeves was appointed the first Minister of Labour, the department changed its name to the Department of Labour.The Labour Department Act 1893 defined the general duties of and powers of the department, which were to administer the labour laws, acquire and disseminate knowledge of occupations with a view to improving relations between employers and workers, and collect and publish information on industries and rates of wages.