Summary heading

PP6/1 – Correspondence files [subject and client], annual single number series with ‘H’ infix 

Function and purpose

This series comprises correspondence files that document the administration of the migration function in Western Australia as created by CA 808, Collector of Customs, and then later by CA 962, Department of Immigration. Records in this series were initially transferred as “General migration records”, but this was altered with the creation of CA 962 in May 1946, to “General correspondence files”.

The majority of records in this series comprise applications by individuals to be admitted to Australia or to have friends or relatives admitted to Australia as potential permanent residents. These applications are known as Form 40 (Application for the Admission of a Friend or Relative to Australia) or Form 47 (Application for Admission to Australia) applications.

Applications for Exemption from the Dictation Test also comprise a significant portion of the series. Under the Immigration Act 1901, a dictation test was introduced for all persons seeking entry to Australia and comprised the interpretation of a passage of fifty words dictated to them in any European language by an immigration officer. However, individuals already resident in Australia but not yet naturalised, could apply for an exemption from this test so that they could then leave Australia for another country and return within a specified period of time without having to undergo the test again.

Other activities documented by the series include, persons coming under notice through the provisions of the Immigration Act, details of the activities of the Social Welfare Branch, applications for naturalisation, reports on unsuitable migrants, action taken in respect of deportees, reports on immigration centres, and applications for permanent residence by persons who have entered the country illegally.

Further general correspondence files deal with issues including escapees from enemy occupied territories; detained seamen; and policy and procedural advice from the Central Office on a wide range of different topics. 

Related legislation

Immigration Act 1901-1940

Nationality Act 1920-1936

Passports Act 1938

Emigration Act 1910

Alien’s Registration Act 1939

Contract Immigrants Act 1905 

Physical characteristics

This majority of this series is in a case file format. Individual files were created in the name of the person being dealt with, supplemented by the activity initially being documented. However if the person had more than one dealing with the Department, for example, an application for admission of a relative, then later applied for naturalisation for themselves, these activities would all be documented together on the one file. Thus, each case file comprises a wide range of documents and forms depending on the specific issue(s) being dealt with. Major examples are:

1) Applications for admission

Form 40 applications: These comprise the Form 40 itself - Application for the Admission of a Friend or Relative to Australia, which details date of birth, place of birth, address and occupation of the nominee as well as the age, naturalisation status, occupation, assets, employment and referees details of the applicant. Further documents include an accommodation guarantee by the applicant for the nominee, an employment assurance for the nominee, photographs of the nominee and can also include identity documents such as birth certificates, identity certificates and passports. Multiple applications for different nominees by the one person are contained on the one case file under the applicant's name.

Form 47 applications, where an individual nominates themselves as a migrant to Australia, comprise similar contents as Form 40 applications.

2) Applications for Certificate of Exemption from the Dictation Test

These files comprise a statutory declaration of personal particulars, including name, date of birth, nationality, address, occupation and date last left Australia; fingerprints and photographs of the applicant; references and copies of the Certificates themselves as these were returned by the individual upon their re-entry to Australia.

3) Applications for naturalisation

These files comprise Form A - Application to the Minister; Form B - Statutory Declaration of Particulars; interview report; referee reports and general correspondence. They can also include other identity documents such as birth or naturalisation certificates, certificates of identity and passports. 

System of arrangement and control

The records in this series are controlled by an annual single number system starting a file number 1 each year, with a H infix.

While responsible for the immigration function, Customs used this H infix to signify Immigration related files. This was continued with the transfer of the immigration function to CA 962 in 1945 and the new Immigration Department continued using this system until December 1950. 

Relationships with other records

This series is part of a larger group of records that document the administration of the migration function in Western Australia, comprising client files and case files documenting individuals' dealings with the agency. See series links for individual series numbers.

This series is related to the other accession series created and maintained by CA 808 between 1926 and 1945, in particular PP227/2, PP222/3, PP222/4, PP222/5, PP222/6, and PP222/7 (‘C’ and ‘W’ infixes). 

Finding aids

All items in this series have been accurately described in RecordSearch and can be retrieved via a keyword search in RecordSearch - limited by series PP6/1.

It should be noted that some files are not described accurately as the applicant or sponsor's name was used by the agency as the file's title and not the actual nominee's name. Where possible the Archives have included the nominee's names in the file titles as well, although this has not occurred in all cases.

Control symbols for all items have been entered into RecordSearch with their full year prefix, eg. 1949/H/4892, rather than the original format of 49/H/4892. 

Series history

As part of arrangement and description work undertaken by the Archives, papers from this accession have been incorporated into files held in K403. 

Provenance

From 1926 to May 1946 all immigration work was carried out by the Customs Department and the records in this series document that work. With the establishment of the Immigration Department in Perth in May 1946 (CA 962), all files were transferred from Customs to Immigration and the new Immigration Department continued to add to the same record series.

Files prior to 1926 are believed to have been destroyed by a now deceased officer.