Summary heading

Function and purpose

The Royal Commission on the Finances of South Australia as Affected by Federation was established by Letters Patent on 28 July 1928 to investigate the effect of Federation on South Australia, and to specifically determine whether the State had suffered any financial disadvantage as a result.  Sir Joseph Cook, recently retired as Australian High Commissioner to Britain, was appointed Chairman of the Commission, while Herbert Robinson Brookes and Albert Edward Barton were the other two commissioners.  J Brophy was Secretary to the Commission. Public sessions of the Commission were held in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne and evidence was received from Government, trade and industry ‘witnesses’.

This series contains key papers of the Commission accumulated by Sir Joseph Cook including partial minutes of the evidence submitted by witnesses, notes summarising the evidence received, and two copies of the Commission’s final report of 15 March 1929.

Related legislation

Using the series

Language of material

Physical characteristics

System of arrangement and control

Single number control symbols [1]-[3] have been imposed on the items in this series by National Archives. 

Relationships with other records

Finding aids

Access conditions

Series history

In 1993 the Cook family donated Sir Joseph Cook papers, including series M3634, to the National Archives of Australia.  The collection was initially located at the New South Wales Office of National Archives but was transferred to the National Office of National Archives in Canberra in 2001.

Provenance

Series M3634 is part of the personal collection of former Prime Minister Sir Joseph Cook.  The Cook family donated the collection to the National Archives in 1993.

Immediate source of acquisition

Custodial history

Quantity in agency custody

Disposal history

Publication note

Additional information

End notes

Sources