A collection of loose leaf handwritten or typescript documents (some of which are the original) of reports, correspondence, statements, cablegrams, etc., with, in some cases, translations from German to English attached.  Translations indicate the subject matter to be mainly of a military nature pertaining to activities immediately prior to the capitulation of the German New Guinea government in 1914.

The documents would appear to have been brought to Australia by the Acting Governor of German New Guinea (Dr Haber), by the SS "Berrina" arriving at Sydney on 13 October 1914.[1]

At Sydney, typescript copies of certain documents appear to have been made (compare typescript and paper of these copies with original letter, dated 7 January 1914, from Dr Haber to the American Consul General, Sydney).[2]

On Dr Haber's departure from Australia by the "Sonoma" on 16 January 1915,[3] the documents appeared to have been placed with the records of the German Consulate, Sydney, held at first by the American Consul-General and then by the Swiss Consul.  At some point in time, the documents were stored with Beard Watson Ltd., Sydney, and in the German Consulate safe at Rowan's Bond, Sydney (see letter from Consul for Switzerland of 2 February 1923).[4]

The documents were examined by H A Thomson of the Investigation Branch at Beard Watson's and Rowan's Bond Stores, and were brought to Melbourne in April 1921.  They were held in the custody of the Branch under written authority of the Secretary, Attorney General's Department, dated 3 April 1922 (see minute of 23 February 1923 of Director Investigation Branch).[5]  Various transcripts and translations of the documents were made and simple consecutive numeration was imposed.  As far as can be judged, there are three more or less definite periods of activity:



1921? - Purple and black typescript, prior to numeration
            of documents (e.g. nos. 2,3,4,5,6,7,8)
1922? - Black typescript, with heading "War Events in
            New Guinea No. ...  of the official documents
            (e.g. nos. 40, 41)
1923  - Black typescript, copies made especially for
            Seaforth MacKenzie (e.g. nos. 40, 41)

Subsequently, some of the original manuscripts were apparently returned to the Consular safe.

Despite representations made in 1923 and 1924, both by Dr Haber (through the Swiss and German Consulates) for return of the documents, and by the Australian War Memorial for deposit of the material in that institution, the documents were at some date transferred to one of the departments administering the Territory of New Guinea (Home and Territories 1923-1928; Prime Minister's Department 1928-1941; External Territories 1941-1950).

In June 1959 the records were located in the library of the Department of Territories and were transferred into archival custody on 24 June 1959.

SOURCES
1. see document number 44
2. PM no. 1915/3511/7 on file NG24/7
3. file NG24/7
4. PM 650/147/1, on file Home & Territories 25/25246
5. file Home & Territories 25/25246

Agency recording unregistered

? 01 Aug 1914-? 31 Dec 1914: Office of Governor, German New Guinea
? 01 Sep 1914-? 31 Dec 1914: German Consulate, Sydney