Dependent on the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Royal Prefectures were established by Royal Decree No. 250 on October 9, 1861, granting governors of the provinces the title of Prefects.
The Local Government Administration oversees all peripheral state offices and is responsible for supervising the administration of municipalities and provinces as well as charitable organizations. It cannot be prosecuted for actions taken during the exercise of its functions, except under higher administrative authority.
The executive regulation approved by R.D. (Royal Decree) No. 2321 on June 8, 1865, organized the Prefectures into four divisions:
● I – Secretariat
● II – Administration of "legal entities" (provinces, municipalities, and charitable organizations)
● III – Public security, military conscription, public health
● IV – Governmental administration, accounting, contributions, and other unresolved matters
In 1911, municipal and provincial regulation No. 1 of November 12 modified the internal organization of Prefectures into a structure maintained by Prefectures of the Republic. This reform divided offices into:
● A Cabinet
● Four divisions
● A financial management office
● Several offices dealing with specific matters.
The Prefecture funds preserved in the State Archives include the following files:
