Function and purpose
This major series of correspondence files was created by the
Prime Minister’s Office, and administered as part of the Department of External
Affairs in 1901, as from 1901-1904, the Prime Minister was also the Minister for
External Affairs. Hence, this series
records the details of the earliest correspondence of this dual office as
signed by Edmund Barton.
The files contain telegrams, cables and related papers;
memoranda; printed documents; reports; and newspaper clippings on a number of
matters affecting the establishment and organisation of central government and
external affairs.
These matters include the establishment of government
departments, salaries, the transfer of State departments and functions to the
Commonwealth, legislation and revenue; the opening of the first Commonwealth
Parliament, the Royal Visit of 1901, plans for a Federal Capital and the Seal
and Flag Competition. Other subjects
referred to are elections and electoral matters, tariffs, immigration, Coloured
labour policy, the Boer War and consular appointments, and the death of HM
Queen Victoria.
The series has been heavily culled. The registration was haphazard in the early
months and many files lacked file covers and titles. By mid 1901 the Commonwealth had been reasonably organised and in
July of that year a series of files dealing purely with external affairs was
commenced. This series continued until
February 1902. From 1902 to mid 1904
there is no Prime Ministers’ correspondence extant.
Related legislation
Using the series
Series A10 consists of the control records to A6 in the form
of five bound volumes. For preservation reasons, these are not available for
use but have been microfilmed. Volume
one is entitled ‘Prime Minister’. The
first portion of this consists of an A-Z index for sub-headings, listed for
example as ‘G’- Ga, Ge, Gi, Gi to Go, Go to Gz; followed by an entry headed ‘Subheadings’:
Gazette, Commonwealth; Governor General; Government Printer; Germany and ‘G
Miscellaneous’- Gratuities, Goulburn (visit).
Against each subheading is the page number of the appropriate folio
entry. Volumes 2-5 carry the titles ‘ Department of External Affairs Record
Book’.
Language of material
Physical characteristics
System of arrangement and control
Relationships with other records
Finding aids
Consignment lists exist for this series. As at 18 October 2002, 507 items out of
approximately 535 items have been registered onto RecordSearch, or 95%.
Access conditions
Series history
Provenance
Immediate source of acquisition
Custodial history
Quantity in agency custody
Disposal history
Publication note
Additional information
End notes
Sources