MS 8254
Papers of Ian Downs (1915-2004)



Scope and Content Note

Papers

1935-1994

3.5 m. (25 boxes) + 1 folio

Available for reference

A former patrol officer who rose to the position of Deputy Administrator in the mid-1950s, Downs was a prominent figure in Papua New Guinea in the last years of the Australian trusteeship, and possibly the only person who combined the roles of administrator, politician, planter and historian. His papers, which reflect the diversity of his career, are a mixture of original material and photocopied files, created at different times for different purposes, but which were together drawn upon for his official history of the Australian administration. This account, which was commissioned in 1972, was published in 1980 under the title of The Australian trusteeship : Papua New Guinea, 1945-75.

For the purposes of his research Downs was given unrestricted access to all files of the Department of External Territories (later the Department of Territories), from which he and his assistant Elaine Ryan made extensive photocopies. Included in the files were records of the Custodian of Expropriated Property which had been transferred to the Department of External Territories in Canberra following the Japanese war. Downs also collected original departmental files destined for disposal after the proclamation of Papua New Guinean independence, and rescued other papers from destruction following the closure of the Department of Territories. As additional research material, Downs brought together notes and sources he had been gathering as far back as 1945 with a view to someday publishing a book on Papua New Guinea.

In form, the papers include diaries and original correspondence, telegrams, authorisations, memoranda, file extracts and cuttings, photocopies or typed transcripts of official documents, court proceedings, and carbon copies of original minutes. The collection contains interesting material on major figures such as Hasluck, Gorton, Whitlam, Murray, Cleland, Hay and Gunther, and while much of the research material is not unique, historians may find it useful that copies of policy documents going back to the time of Curtin and Ward have been brought together in one body of documentation.

Downs' papers were transferred to the Library in five instalments between 1991 and 1999. In sorting the collection Downs' filing system and file names have, for the most part, been retained.


Biographical Note

1915        Born in Edinburgh, Scotland

c.1926-28   Educated at Brighton and Geelong Grammar Schools

1929        Entered Royal Australian Naval College as a midshipman

1935        Joined New Guinea administration as a cadet patrol officer

1938        Joined the Hagen-Sepik patrol at Wabag

1942-45     Coastwatcher with Royal Australian Navy in New Guinea waters

1945        Returned to New Guinea as a patrol officer

1949        District Officer, New Ireland

Jan. 1951   Stipendiary Magistrate, Rabaul

May 1951    District Commissioner, Madang

1951-52     Assistant Director of Native Affairs

1952        District Commissioner, Goroka

1956        Resigned to take up coffee farming and to enter politics

1957        Elected Member for the New Guinea Mainland in the
            Legislative Council

1957-68     President, Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association

1957-69     Member of the East Highlands District Advisory Council

1961-69     Member of the Administrator's Council

1964        Foundation Chairman, Coffee Marketing Board

1964-68     Elected to the first House of Assembly

1970        Publication of The stolen land

c.1971      Returned to Australia

1980        Publication of The Australian trusteeship : Papua New
            Guinea, 1945-75

1986        Publication of autobiography, The last mountain

2004        Died on 24 August

Series List

  1. General correspondence, 1935-94
  2. Patrol diaries and reports, 1938-55
  3. Highlands period, 1952-68
  4. Legislative Council, 1957-64
  5. House of Assembly, 1964-68
  6. Select Committee on Constitutional Development and Papua New Guinean independence, 1965-72
  7. Gazelle Peninsula dispute and Mataungan insurrection, 1957-74
  8. Papers relating to The Australian trusteeship : Papua New Guinea, 1945-75
  9. Biographical files
  10. Subject files
  11. Press releases and clippings
  12. Publications

Appendix 1: List of photographs relating to the Hagen-Sepik patrol


Series Description

Series 1 General correspondence and memoranda, 1935-94

This series chiefly comprises original and photocopied official correspondence written or collected by Downs on matters relating to the Australian administration of Papua New Guinea. Correspondents include politicians such as Arthur Calwell and Paul Hasluck, diplomats, including American Ambassadors Amos Peaslee and William Battle, and British diplomat Sir Hugh Foot, as well as key figures in the Papua New Guinea administration such as J.K. Murray and Sir Donald Cleland. Also of interest are a number of letters written by visitors to the country, which reflect the political situation, local attitudes and progress of the Australian trusteeship. In addition, the series contains a file concerning Downs' resignation as District Commissioner in 1955, which stemmed from his objection to a reorganisation of the district administration, and original correspondence about missionary activity in the Central Highlands between 1935-45.

For additional correspondence relating to Downs' political and business activities see Series 3, 4 and 5.

Folders
1             Correspondence concerning activities of missionaries in
              the Central Highlands, 1935-45
2             General correspondence and papers, 1950-62
3             Correspondence and papers relating to police matters,
              1953-54, 1963, 1966
4             Correspondence and papers relating to Downs' resignation
              as District Commissioner, 1955
5             Correspondence and notes regarding political matters, 1961
              and public works, 1966, together with New Guinea
              Administration press statements, 1961
6             General correspondence and papers, 1962-94
7             General correspondence and papers, 1968-72: A-F
8             General correspondence and papers, 1968-72: G-L
9             General correspondence and papers, 1968-72: M-Q
10            General correspondence and papers, 1968-72: R-Z
11            General memoranda and correspondence, Part 1: 1959-66,
              including speech on  customs tariff, 1965, and notes
              relating to timber production, coastwatching, Duna patrol,
              1955
12            General memoranda and correspondence, Part 2: 1964-72,
              including report on 11th House of Assembly meeting, and
              notes on the Wutung border incident and race relations
13            General memoranda and correspondence, Part 3: 1972-76,
              including notes on decolonisation, briefing notes for
              Minister for the Army, 1968 and Retired Officers
              Association membership list, 1972
14            General memoranda and correspondence, Part 4: 1973-76


Series 2 Patrol diaries and reports, 1938-55

Downs took up his appointment to New Guinea in 1936 and was one of the first patrol officers assigned to the Western Highlands. This series includes his patrol diary compiled whilst accompanying John Black and Jim Taylor on part of their famous Hagen-Sepik patrol in 1938-39, which contains quite detailed entries for the period January-May 1939. Also filed here are his copies of the Crown Law Office circulars, 1924-25 and District standing instructions, 1925 (annotated by Downs to 1939).
Regarded as the 'Patrol Officer's bible' these items would normally have accompanied officers everywhere in their duties.

A copy of Downs’ Hagen-Sepik patrol report is contained in the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau microfilm 607.

Folders                            
1             Patrol diary, Hagen-Sepik patrol, October-December, 1938
2             Diary, 1939
3             Routine patrol and food survey of villages in the Salamaua
              area, December 1945-January 1946
4             Madang patrol report, 1953-54
5             Patrol reports into areas between Tari Station and the
              Strickland-Lagaip Rivers, 1954-55, with map of the region
6             Crown Law Office circulars, 1924-25; District standing
              instructions, 1925; Programme : visit of Sir John
              Northcott, Administrator of the Commonwealth, 1951
7             Typescript of Territory of New Guinea, Annual report, New
              Ireland, 1949-50
8             Photographs relating to the Hagen-Sepik patrol (see Appendix 1 for
              detailed listing)


Series 3 Highlands period, 1952-68

Downs returned to New Guinea after World War II and by 1951 was the youngest District Commissioner in the administration, based in Madang. Between 1952-56 he held the position of District Commissioner in Goroka , before resigning to take up coffee farming and to enter politics.

Included in this series are files and correspondence relating to the official, semi-official, political and business activities with which Downs was associated whilst resident in Goroka, the large proportion of which he kept interfiled in chronological sequences. Also documented is Downs' Presidency of the Highland Farmers and Settlers Association, 1957-68, and his involvement with the Upper Asaro Coffee Community, which supplied coffee to the Korfena coffee company of which he was part-owner.

Papers which relate exclusively to Downs' political career are filed in Series 4 and 5.

Folders

1             Correspondence and notes, Part 1: A-F
2             Correspondence and notes, Part 2: G-T
3             Correspondence and notes, Part 3: U and miscellaneous,
              including Upper Asaro Coffee Community
4             Postwar period, Part 1: papers relating to access roads,
              including the reopening of the Kassam Pass
              Postwar period, Part 2: including papers relating to the
              Highland Farmers and
5             Settlers Association
6             Postwar period, Part 3: including typescript of Annual
              report, Eastern
7             notes and native language dictionary
8             Notes on administration and tribal customs, Part 2
9             Notes on administration and tribal customs, Part 3
10            Notes on administration and tribal customs, Part 4
11            Notes on administration and tribal customs, Part 5
12            Extracts from file on Highlands Redevelopment Scheme
              (roads, bridges, etc.)
13            Typescript of 'Entomological investigations in the Eastern
              and Western
              Highlands', 1954
14            The economic development of the Eastern Highlands district
              of the Territory of New Guinea, 1965
15-16         Articles on various aspects of Highland administration and
              culture


Series 4 Legislative Council, 1957-63

Disillusioned with official policy, Downs resigned from his post as District Commissioner in 1956 and in the following year gained election as Member for the New Guinea Mainland in the Legislative Council. As a parliamentarian he was further elected in 1961 to the Administrator's Advisory Council (later known as the Administrator's Executive Council), a board set up to advise the Administrator on policy issues.

Some correspondence relating to Downs' membership of the Legislative Council is interfiled in Series 3. For papers relating to his election to the House of Assembly see Series 5.

Folders/Pieces

1             Correspondence congratulating Downs on his election to the
              Legislative Council, 1957, together with notes relating to
              comparative constitutional law and administrative
              instructions
2             Notes and circulars concerning parliamentary matters,
              conditions of service, 1951-63
3             Notes on Legislative Council questions: A-D
4             Notes on Legislative Council questions: E-K
5             Notes on Legislative Council questions: L-N
6             Notes on Legislative Council questions: O-R
7             Notes on Legislative Council questions: S-Z
8             Extracts from Legislative Council debates, 1957-61
9-16          Legislative Council debates: 4-8 May, 1953; 16-23
              November, 1953; 10-13 May, 1954; 24-28 October, 1955;
              11-14 June, 1962; 3 September-16 October, 1962; 25
              February-1 March, 1963


Series 5 House of Assembly, 1964-68

Downs was elected to the first House of Assembly in 1964 with a record majority of over 100, 000 votes. For the next four years he held the Seat of the New Guinea Highlands, a constituency in the Central Highlands region with a population of over half a million people. In the face of an increasingly nationalist style of politics he decided not to stand for re-election in 1968, and retired from parliament to take up private interests.

Some correspondence relating to Downs' membership of the House of Assembly is interfiled in Series 3. For papers relating to his election to the Legislative Council see Series 4.

Folders/Pieces

1-3           Correspondence and papers, 1965-66
4             Correspondence, notes and circulars, 1966
5             Letter from D.M. Fenbury concerning the New Guinea
              Administration, 1967, together with an extract from the
              proceedings of the House of Lords, 12 May 1948, about
              conditions in the colonial service
6             Notes and research material relating to 1964 House of
              Assembly elections, together with rules of the
              Administrator's Council
7             Notes and documentation, 1967-68, including copy of 1959
              letter from Sir William Slim regarding income tax
              legislation
8-9           Notes, articles and reports relating to the House of
              Assembly, 1967-68 and second House of Assembly, 1968
10            House of Assembly debates, 1-10 September, 1964


Series 6 Select Committee on Constitutional Development and Papua New Guinean independence, 1965-72

A Select Committee on Constitutional Development was appointed by a resolution of the Papua and New Guinea House of Assembly on 19 May 1965, with John Guise as its first Chairman. The Committee's purpose was to clarify the future status of Papua New Guinea in relation to Australia. Under Guise, the Committee presented interim reports in 1965 and 1966, and a final report in 1967. A reconstituted Committee with Paulus Arek as Chairman published two further reports in 1969 and 1971, its recommendations effectively clearing the path for the transfer to self-government in 1975.

Folders

1             Notes on discussion between Minister and Select Committee
              on Constitutional Development, 1966-67
2             File extracts regarding Select Committee on Constitutional
              Development, 1969-70
3             File extracts regarding Select Committee on Constitutional
              Development, 1970-71
4             Notes, correspondence and article relating to New Guinean
              political development, including record of July-August
              constitutional talks, 1972
5             File on future association with Australia on
              self-government or independence
6             Policy regarding political development in New Guinea
7-8           Relations between Prime Minister John Gorton and Papua New
              Guinea administration, 1968-70
9             Extracts and articles on various aspects of constitutional
              development
			  

Series 7 Gazelle Peninsula dispute and Mataungan insurrection, 1957-74

In 1950-54 a new system of native administration was introduced in the Gazelle Peninsula, an area chiefly populated by the Tolai people. Although the new form of local government sought to increase involvement of natives in economic development, it came into conflict with traditional administrative arrangements which were already divided by disputes amongst the various Tolai groupings. A number of villages including Raluana and Navuneram resisted the imposition of the administration, leading to unrest in the area extending over three decades.

A file relating to the murder of District Commissioner, E.J. Emanuel at Navuneram is located in Series 9. In addition, a short sequence of press clippings documenting the 1973 riots in the region is filed in Series 11.

Folders

1-7           Land and social problems on the Gazelle Peninsula
8             Press cuttings relating to the Gazelle Peninsula dispute,
              1970-72                                                     
9             Raluana Committee                                           
10            Navuneram incident, 1957-59, file compiled by Edward        
              Taylor                                                      
11            Commission of Inquiry into the Navuneram incident, 1959     
12            Proposal for subdivision of the Kaibara and Natava          
              plantations,1972
13-14         Papers relating to the Varzin land case, 1964
15            Mataungan insurrection, Gazelle Peninsula, 1967-74, Part
              1, including correspondence
16            Mataungan insurrection, Gazelle Peninsula, 1967-74, Part 2
17            Mataungan insurrection, Gazelle Peninsula, 1967-74, Part 3
18            Mataungan insurrection, Gazelle Peninsula, 1967-74, Part 4
19            Notes and transcripts of statement concerning the
              Mataungan incident
20            Publications relating to the Gazelle Peninsula dispute
              including: Report of a Commission of Inquiry Into Local
              Government and Other Matters in the Gazelle Peninsula...,
              1969; Statements made by Mathias T. Toliman..., 1973;
              Report to the  Administrator...on the problems if the
              Gazelle Peninsula, 1971; 'Matupit : land, politics and
              change among the Tolai of New Britain, 1969


Series 8 The Australian trusteeship : Papua New Guinea, 1945-75

In 1972 Downs was commissioned to write an official history of the Australian trusteeship in Papua New Guinea, under the guidance of an Editorial Committee chaired by David Hay. With the assistance of an Editorial Consultant, Francis West and Research Officer, Eileen Ryan, the final manuscript was completed in 1978 and published by the Australian Government Publishing Service in 1980.

In this series are filed correspondence relating to the publication, together with lists of bibliographic sources and other reference material used in compilation of the history.

Folders

1             Correspondence and other papers relating to The Australian
              trusteeship : Papua New Guinea, 1945-75
2-3           Documentation collated for appendices
4             Research material, including list of archival sources, map
              pulls, sample index, press and publicity lists, index to
              Department of Territories files, 1972, and a guide to New
              Guinea archives held in the National Library, 1958
5             Bibliographical references, including a complete record of
              Australian press references to Papua New Guinea, 1944-72,
              chronology of Papua New Guinean constitutional
              development, list of theses held in the Department of
              Government, University of Sydney, 1966, 1972
6             List of research material used, together with other
              reference notes
7             Reference material, including a chronology of
              constitutional development and index to Papua New Guinean
              press reports, 1944-71
8             Reference material, including chronological notes on
              administrators and administration
9             Photographic typesetting transparencies used in production of the book             


Series 9 Biographical files and records of interviews

This series chiefly comprises original papers and photocopied extracts from Department of External Affairs and Downs' own files containing biographical information on former Departmental personnel, Papua New Guinea administrative staff and others associated with Australian participation in the country. Also included is a sequence of files documenting the murder of District Commissioner, E.J. Emanuel, and the implication of other Australian nationals in violent incidents in Papua New Guinea. In addition, the series contains correspondence, notes and transcripts relating to interviews conducted by Downs in the period 1963-78 with individuals closely associated with the Australian trusteeship.

GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL FILES

Folders

1             List of contacts, 1976-78
2             Biographical file, Part 1: A-C
3             Biographical file, Part 2: D-H
4             Biographical file, Part 3: I-M
5             Biographical file, Part 4: N-Z
6             Extracts from A time for building : Australian
              administration in Papua New Guinea, 1951-1963, together
              with press cuttings about its author Paul Hasluck
7             Extracts from Pacific Islands year book and Who's who in
              the Pacific Islands, 1968, together with other
              biographical notes
8             Biographical data concerning Papua New Guinea Department
              of External Affairs personnel

ADMINISTRATORS

9             Alfred Conlon, Head of the Australian Army's Directorate
              of Research and Civil Affairs, 1943-45
10            J.K. Murray, Administrator, 1945-52; Photocopied extract
              from Papua New Guinea , 1942-52 : policy, planning and
              J.K. Murray.  Thesis by Brian Jinks.
11            File relating to position of Administrator, 1951
12            David Hay, Administrator, 1967-70
13            L.W. Johnson, Administrator, 1970-73

OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL

Other papers relating to the Navuneram incident and Gazelle Peninsula dispute are filed in Series 7, 10 and 11.

14            File containing papers relating to Allart Nurton, former
              officer of the New Guinea Public Service who was injured
              on duty, 1936; Navuneram incident, 1958; grievances
              against T.W. Ellis, X-ray technician, 1973; Special Branch
              report on Ephraim Nwokolo, 1969; involvement of Julian
              White in the independence movement, 1976
15            File relating to the murder of Richard Strudwick and
              others during the Sepik insurrection, 1942
16-17         File relating to the murders of Szarka and Harris at
              Telefomin, November 1953
18            File relating to the sedition trial of Brian Leonard
              Cooper, December 1960, including reasons for the judgment
19-20         File of letters and records relating to the murder of
              District Commissioner, E.J. Emanuel, at Navurneram, 1971

INTERVIEWS

Notes on, and some transcripts of interviews undertaken with: J.O. Ballard, C.E. Barnes, K. Beazley, John Greenwell, J.T. Gunther, David Hay, Harry Jackman, Alan Kerr, Sir John Kerr, W.A. Lalor, Tom Leahy, A.W. McCasker, W.L. Morrison, J.K. Murray, H.L.R. Niall, Stan Pearsall, J.E. Ritchie, George Warwick Smith, O.H.K. Spate, A.C. Voutas, H.W. West, Ken Williamson, Ian Willis, together with speeches by Gough Whitlam and Michael Somare, 1973 and summary of record of talks between the two, 17 January 1973.

21            Interviews and related correspondence, Part 1: 1963,
              1965-66, 1969-76
22            Interviews and related correspondence, Part 2: 1973-74
23            Interviews and related correspondence, Part 3: 1973-75
24            Interviews and related correspondence, Part 4: 1975-78


Series 10 Subject files

BOUGAINVILLE

1             Telexes between the Administrator and Secretary of the
              Department of External Affairs, and other notes pertaining
              to the Bougainville crisis, 1967

HASLUCK ADMINISTRATION

2-4           Notes, cuttings and other background papers relating to
              the Hasluck administration, 1951-78

HIGHER EDUCATION

5             Papers relating to higher education, including report by
              Ian Willis 'The development of higher education in Papua
              New Guinea', 1975 and summaries of Department of
              Territories files concerning higher education, 1960-75

INDONESIA AND WEST IRIAN

6             Background papers on problems and policy in relations
              between Indonesia and West Irian

JAPAN

7-8           Japanese-Papuan relations

LAND QUESTION

9             Land and the law, Part 1: including land titles litigation
10            Land and the law, Part 2: notes and articles
11            Land and the law, Part 3: notes and articles
12            Land and the law, Part 4: Report of the League of Nations
              on the administration...of New Guinea...1914-21
13            Photocopied notes relating to Rabehan Trading Station, New
              Ireland, 1967-72 and expropriated property
14            General notes on land issues, including paper on customary
              title presented to the 3rd Waigani Seminar
15            Copy of a typescript relating to the case of Rudolf Wolff
              heard before the Expropriation Board, 1921
16            Papers relating to an appeal made to the Supreme Court,
              1963 regarding expropriated property, made under the
              provisions of the New Guinea Land
              Titles Restoration Ordinance
17            Land titles press clippings, 1963
18            Land law, Part 1: notes and file extracts regarding land
              tenure, including illegal squatting in the Gazelle
              Peninsula
19            Land law, Part 2: Land Acts and Ordinances, 1921-72
20            Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters,
              1973

LEGAL SYSTEM

21-22         Notes on the Derham report, 1960 concerning the judicial
              system
23            File extracts relating to the legal system, including
              instructions for field officers on their legal
              responsibilities; circular concerning Native Village
              Councils Ordinance, 1949; Governor-General's instructions
              to the Administrator regarding the Papua and New Guinea
              Act, 1949-68

LIVESTOCK

24            Background papers on livestock matters
25            Photocopy of Report on an investigation into the pastoral
              industry of Papua and New Guinea, 1958
26            Report of the Hallstrom Livestock and Fauna (Papua and New
              Guinea) Trust, 1957
			  

MANUS

27            Manus District and U.S. base

MEKEO

28            Typescript of Chapter 5 from unidentified book concerning
              Mekeo and rice

MISSIONS

29            Background information on missions

MT LAMINGTON

30            Correspondence and press reports of the Mt Lamington
              volcanic eruption, 1951

NATIVE LABOUR

31            Background papers and statistics pertaining to native
              labour, 1953-69
32            Background papers pertaining to native labour, 1958-77

NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO

33            Articles concerning Papua New Guinean newspaper and radio
              history

NIGERIA

34            Memorandum on native administration in Nigeria, 1934,
              together with minutes, notes and articles about offshore
              oil

OFFICIAL VISITS

35            Report by Paul Hasluck, Minister for Territories on his
              visit to PNG, February 1962
36            Record of official discussions with Sir Hugh Foot, Leader
              of the United Nations Visiting Mission to New Guinea, 1962
37            Extracts from House of Representatives debates concerning
              visits by Gough Whitlam to Papua New Guinea, 1965-70,
              together with press statements
38            United Nations Visiting Mission to Trust Territories in
              the Pacific report on New Guinea, together with the
              relevant resolution of the Trusteeship Council, 1951

PAPUA NEW GUINEA INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE

39-40         Formation of the Papua New Guinea Intelligence Committee,
              1970-72
41-42         Notes and papers, 1971-72

POLICE

43            Notes, correspondence and report about the Royal Papua New
              Guinea Constabulary; typescript of a report by the
              Committee of Inquiry into the Efficiency Training and
              Adequacy of the Native Police, 1959

PROVISIONAL ADMINISTRATION

44            File relating to provisional administration, Part 1:
              including minute concerning establishment of civil
              administration, December 1945; extracts from Papua Act,
              1905; minute and correspondence regarding a visit by R.
              Melrose, Director of District Services and Native Affairs,
              to Rabaul, 1946
45            File relating to provisional administration, Part 2
46            File relating to provisional administration, Part 3:
              including extracts relating to the resumption of civil
              administration
47            File concerning army control and the resumption of civil
              administration

PUBLIC WORKS

48            Public works statistics, 1947-50

RECONSTRUCTION

49            Notes and articles on reconstruction period

RESTRICTED AREAS

50-51         Extracts from Papua New Guinea annual reports giving
              statistics of restricted areas, 1935-73

SITE FOR CAPITAL

52            Background information concerning choice of capital for
              Papua New Guinea

TRADE

53            Memorandum regarding interim trade arrangements between
              Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1973

WAR DISPOSALS COMMISSION

54            File extracts relating to activities of the War Disposals
              Commission, 1950

MISCELLANEOUS

55            Miscellaneous notes and references


Series 11 Press releases and clippings

Folders

1             Press and other statements, including statements made by
              Matthias Toliman, Julius Chan and Ministers of the 3rd
              House of Assembly
2             Press releases, 1973-74 and press clippings, 1977-78
3             Press clippings documenting riots in Gazelle Peninsula and
              Port Moresby, 1973
4             Press clippings documenting accidents and crime in Papua
              New Guinea, 1973-77
5             Miscellaneous press clippings, 1973-76


Series 12 Publications

Included in this series is a bound copy of all the catalogues of expropriated properties (German) in the Territory of New Guinea sold by tender, 1925-28. The catalogues were the basic reference for the Custodian and for the Lands and Crown Law Departments in Papua New Guinea because they included native title claims.

Folders/Pieces

1             Report to the League of Nations on the administration of
              the Territory of New Guinea, 1921-22
2             Territory of New Guinea (1) geographical description, (2)
              notes on the natives (with map), 1922.  Extract from the
              Report on the Territory of New Guinea for 1921-1922 as
              submitted to the League of Nations.
3             Photocopied extract from The dual mandate in British
              Tropical Africa, 1922
4             Report on the salient geological features and natural
              resources of the New Guinea Territory, including notes on
              dialectics and ethnology, 1922
5             Photocopy of  Report on administrative arrangements and
              matters affecting the interests of natives in the
              Territory of New Guinea, 1924
6             Native administration regulations, 1924 [circular] no. 39
              of October 1950
7             Sale of expropriated properties (first group) in the
              Territories of New Guinea and Papua, 1925
8             New Guinea annual reports, 1935-36, 1940-41
9             Report to the Council of the League of Nations on the
              Administration of the Territory of New Guinea, 1937-38
10            Photocopy of The future of the colonial peoples, 1943
              South Pacific, v. 2, no. 4, December 1947
11            An annotated bibliography of the Southwest Pacific and
              adjacent areas. Volume 2, the mandated Territory of New
              Guinea, Papua, the British Solomon Islands, the New
              Hebrides and Micronesia, 1944
12            Report to the General Assembly of the United Nations on
              the administration of the Territory of New Guinea, 1946-50
13            Economic change and dietary consequences among the
              Tahitians, [1962]
14            Photocopied extract from A start in freedom, 1964
15            'The Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (Angau)'.
              Presented by Peter Ryan to the Second Waigani Seminar,
              1968
16            Compendium of statistics for Papua and New Guinea, 1969
17            Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Alcoholic Drink,
              1971
18            Photocopied extract from Other people's money, 1971
19            Inside New Guinea, 1972
20            'Expatriates in the Government of Kenya', [1972]
21            'Australian skills aid Asian communications', 1973
22            'The technological dependence of developing countries',
              1974
23            'Speculator's diary', 1974; photocopy of The future of the
               colonial peoples, 1943
24            Constitution of the independent state of Papua New Guinea,
              1975
25            Papua New Guinea post-courier, Independence souvenir
              issue, 16 September 1975
26            'Papua New Guinea : beyond national alignment', 1977
27            Miscellaneous articles

Appendix 1: List of photographs relating to the Hagen-Sepik patrol, 1938

(Series 2/Folder 8)

Photographs taken by Downs or by P.O. Murray Edwards, First Officer-in-Charge Mt Hagen (February-December 1938). Captions in double quote marks are Downs'; additional information added by Bill Gammage in 1999. Photographs 2-10 relate to the Hagen-Sepik Patrol.

  1. Two 1988 negatives each, of photos 4-5 and 8-9 below.

  2. "First landing at Wabag. Junkers W7". The first landing was on 8 August 1938. Downs' caption refers to his first landing on 31 August.

  3. "Junkers W7", on Wabag strip, c.31 August 1938. [Edwards]

  4. A singsing to open Mt Hagen strip, March 1938. [Edwards]

  5. "Junkers on Hagen Drome", August 1938. [Edwards]

  6. Pendeyani, the Li-ink fight leader, "tells the mob to get going to try us out", Wabag peace conference, 1 September 1938, after Bugler Gershon and some Li-ink men were killed. In fact Pendeyani was speaking for peace (+ negative).

  7. Enga man at Wabag peace conference, 1 September 1938. He wears a tin lid pendant (negative only).

  8. The Wabag peace conference, 1 September 1938. The Europeans are (l. to r.) Edwards (and his dog `Nigger'), Ted Taylor (D.O. Morobe), pilot Tommy O'Dea.

  9. The Wabag peace conference, 1 September 1938. The Europeans are (l. to r.) Edwards, Downs, police officer W.O. Wallace.

  10. Wabag camp, September 1938, showing the strip built on old kaukau (sweet potato) gardens (+ negative).

  11. Ian Downs at Chimbu Patrol Post (later Kundiawa), 1939 (+ negative).

  12. Repairs to the Mt Hagen road, c.1952-55 (+ negative).

Box List

Box     Series     Folders/Pieces

1         1          1-9
2         1          10-14
2         2          1-3
3         2          4-8
3         3          1-3
4         3          4-11
5         3          12-15
5         4          1-3
6         4          4-16
7         5          1-9
8         5          10
8         6          1-8
9         6          9
9         7          1-7
10        7          8-14
11        7          15-20
11        8          1-3
12        8          4-8
Folio     8          9
12        9          1-3
13        9          4-11
14        9          12-20
15        9          21-24
15        10         1-4
16        10         5-13
19        10         31-38
20        10         39-47
21        10         48-55
22        11         1-5
22        12         1-5
23        12         6-8
24        12         9-19
25        12         20-27
August 1995 Updated May 2000