Agency recording unregistered

01 Feb 1972 - 30 Nov 1973 : Foreign Affairs Liaison Officer

Summary heading

A9334 – Correspondence files, multiple number series (first uniform post system)(Port Moresby)

Function and purpose

This series consists of correspondence files used by the Australian diplomatic post in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Records in the series were created to provide and store information necessary to the conduct of Australian government business with Papua New Guinea.

Records in the series were initially created by the Foreign Affairs Liaison Officer in Papua New Guinea from 1972, and then by the Australian High Commission when it was opened at the time of Papua New Guinea self-government on 1 December 1973. The series also includes records top-numbered into this series from other series of the Commonwealth Office (CA 1901), and some papers which appear to have come from the office of the Administrator of Papua New Guinea (CA 1868).

 

The series covers the whole range of correspondence records kept at the High Commission, relating to all the post’s major functions including:

- post administration;

- consular functions including immigration activities;

- economic and trade relations;

- aid and training matters;

- internal and external affairs of Papua New Guinea; and

- background information on Australia.

 

Records in the series document the mission’s assessments of internal Papua New Guinean politics, economy and culture, particularly the development and evolution of the nation’s constitutional and legislative arrangements, political developments including new parties and independence movements, and the implementation of Australian aid programs and training courses. The series also documents the administration of the diplomatic post.

The files contain documents including correspondence, reports and other material, such as newspaper clippings on subjects of interest.

The files are arranged according to the first uniform post system which was introduced to all overseas posts in February 1956. The post should have finished using this system with the introduction of the second uniform post filing system in 1975. However, probably due to small record holdings, other priorities, resource shortages and doubts existing as to the long term future of the post, this change did not occur. For this reason, file records have been created in this series beyond the anticipated finishing date of the first system in 1974.

The first uniform system for overseas posts was open to staff from departments other than Foreign Affairs who were attached to the diplomatic post, such as Defence, Trade or Immigration staff, to have their records included in the main filing system under the control of the post registry if they desired. It is not apparent if this has occurred with this series.

Related legislation

 

Using the series

This series is useful to researchers examining political, trade and other relations between Australia and Papua New Guinea, as well as between Papua New Guinea and other countries such as Indonesia.

It is likely that this series does not have a register or subject index, as the filing system (see “System of arrangement and control” below) was intended to be self-indexing. In searching, researchers might find it useful to refer to the designations of primary control numbers discussed below in “System of arrangement and control”.

Language of material

 

Physical characteristics

All records in the series are paper files. The file covers are of many different types and colours.

System of arrangement and control

The files are arranged according to the first uniform post system. This system provided a loose structure of groups of primary numbers for all functions likely to be performed at an overseas post.

The primary numbers were allocated as follows:

1-15        Administration                                  (16-50 unallocated)

51-57      Aviation                                            (58-60 unallocated)

61-69      Consular (including immigration)    (70-100 unallocated)

101-108   Protocol                                            (109-110 unallocated)

111-114   Economic (including Trade)            (115-150 unallocated)

151-156   Economic and technical aid             (157-200 unallocated)

201-206   (Host country) Internal affairs         (207-220 unallocated)

221-225   (Host country) External affairs        (226-250 unallocated)

251-490   Australia (background information)

 

Secondary and tertiary numbers and headings were included for certain subject headings but were not mandatory. Some of the designated secondary and tertiary numbers are listed in A3322 ([Copy of] List of classification headings ['File Index'] for correspondence files, standardised multiple number series for overseas post). The structure of this system was interpreted fairly broadly, and was not always strictly adhered to, but rather was adjusted according to the particular needs of the post. Files in this series generally have three or four number parts in their control symbols, but it is not uncommon to find control symbols with more number parts.

A small number of files have duplicate control symbols. In these cases, the National Archives has added an alphabetical suffix (eg. A, B, C etc) to the control symbol to distinguish between items.

Relationships with other records

In addition to this series, the Papua New Guinean mission created another series of correspondence files, A9850, which was recorded predominantly by the Australian Consulate-General in Lae.

While the first uniform post system allocated numbers within the main correspondence series to records created and used by staff from departments other than Foreign Affairs who were attached to the diplomatic post, such as Defence, Trade or Immigration staff, this does not appear to have been utilised in the case of A9334. Instead, the office of the Head of Australian Defence Staff in the High Commission in Port Moresby created a number of separate correspondence series, A9979, A9980, A10051, A10054 and A10059, to control their records.

A small number of files in this series contain despatches, copies of which are also held in series A4231 (Bound volumes of despatches from overseas posts).

While the High Commission did not maintain a file register, the post did occasionally create a list of all its current files. A listing made in 1977 which includes records in A9334 is retained in series A4613 (File lists from overseas posts, alphabetical series).

Finding aids

All items from this series in the custody of the National Archives have been entered on RecordSearch.

Access conditions

Series history

Records in this series were transferred to the National Archives of Australia in September 1993, June 1994, October 1996 and September 1997 by CA 6679, Australian International Development Assistance Bureau/AusAID, and in July 1994 by CA 5987, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In 2009 all items were entered on RecordSearch.

Provenance

 

Immediate source of acquisition

 

Custodial history

 

Quantity in agency custody

New records are still being created in this series, and those in current use are held in the High Commission in Port Moresby.

Disposal history

 

Publication note

 

Additional information

 

End notes

 

Sources