Guide to the Papers of William Douglass Forsyth
MS 5700
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- William Douglass Forsyth
- Title
- Papers of William Douglass Forsyth
- Date Range
- 1875-1993
- Collection Number
- MS 5700
- Extent
- 15.3 metres (102 ms boxes + 1 medium folio box + 1 large folio box)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Forsyth made a particular point of collecting and keeping papers and other materials that he wrote and received throughout his life. The result is a large and varied collection of papers comprising a comprehensive record of his life and career.
Forsyth's first job after post-graduate study at Melbourne and Oxford Universities was as a Research Secretary with the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Victorian Branch. He wrote reviews of Pacific affairs and edited the Austral Asiatic Bulletin published by the Institute. On the outbreak of the Pacific war, William Macmahon Ball, then in charge of radio for the Department of Information, asked Forsyth to take the position of officer-in-charge of the Department's 'background service'. Forsyth collected and compiled secret and confidential intelligence information from the three Service Intelligence Departments and External Affairs. Papers from this period of his life include articles on Pacific and international affairs, research papers on migration and population, copies of the Austral Asiatic Bulletin and correspondence and papers from the Department of Information.
In 1942 Forsyth joined the fledgling Department of External Affairs where he stayed until his retirement in 1969; his career effectively paralleling the growth of the Department and the associated development of Australian foreign policy. This period of his life is well documented by a large collection of general and personal correspondence as well as a substantial amount of reports, research and policy papers, despatches and other working materials. Forsyth's correspondence is a lively mixture of official, personal and unofficial letters and gives a vivid first-hand account of what was happening in the Department both officially and behind the scenes. He kept carbon copies of all his personal letters, typed and handwritten, as well as file copies of official memoranda, reports and so on. He was adept at the use of unofficial channels of communication via handwritten or personally typed letters marked 'personal and confidential' which were not usually destined to form part of the official record. Forsyth not only kept copies of his own 'off the record' letters, he also kept 'personal and confidential' letters he received from colleagues.
Correspondence starts with his first research papers on the Pacific, special assignments in the 1940s, through his long period as Australia's Permanent Representative with the United Nations General Assembly, two terms as Secretary-General with the South Pacific Commission, and his Ambassadorial postings in Vietnam and Lebanon. Correspondents include Joy Forsyth, Russell Forsyth, Sir Ernest Scott, William Macmahon Ball, Sir Frederic Eggleston, T.W. Cutts, Brian Hill, Sir James Plimsoll, Sir Walter Crocker, Sir John Crawford, John Gunther, H.E. Maude, Guy Harriott and other journalists, academics and colleagues from the Department of External Affairs.
After retirement in 1969 Forsyth wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles on the Pacific Islands affairs. He worked as an occasional consultant to the Department of Foreign Affairs on Pacific islands issues (1973-74). From 1971-73 he wrote a book 'Post Colonial Pacific' for the Australian Institute of International Affairs. The unpublished manuscript was given to the Library in 1981 along with the associated research materials. There is a substantial and comprehensive body of material on the South Pacific Commission and the Pacific islands. The material covers the early history of the Commission, its expansion in the 1960's and the 'de-colonisation' of the Commission in the 1970s.
From the late 1970s until his death in 1993, Forsyth's major project was researching and writing his three-part autobiography: 'Recollections of a maverick diplomat'. The first book, 'In old Australia', 1841-1941, was completed in 1982. It records Forsyth's family history and the early part of his life in the Western District of Victoria. He drew upon his extensive collection of family and local history documents in writing this book. The second book, 'The Evatt years', 1942-51, was largely written although not completed before his death. His primary source material was the large correspondence and other materials he had accumulated during his career. He also obtained copies of additional source material from the Australian Archives and the Department of Foreign Affairs historical documents section. The third book 'Pride and fall', 1951-69 was not written apart from a draft introduction and a small collection of notes.
In the 1990s, Forsyth had difficulty in typing and writing and resorted to taping information for his autobiography. The tapes have been transcribed but not all have been edited. The tapes contain additional material for some chapters of 'The Evatt years'. The introduction to the third book 'Pride and fall', 1951-69, exists only in a transcribed tape. Forsyth lodged the manuscripts, research materials, drafts, tape recordings and transcriptions of 'Recollections of a maverick diplomat' with the Library.
Forsyth's remained interested in international, national and local issues during his retirement and post retirement correspondence reflects this range of interests. There is material on Pacific islands consultancy work and various writing projects undertaken in retirement. There are a number of requests for and referral of information used in the writing of 'Recollections' usually 'The Evatt years' which involved exchanges with academics and journalists on political and policy aspects of the 'Evatt' years. There is correspondence with former colleagues, friends and family and .
In retirement Forsyth accumulated many folders of press clippings (often annotating them extensively). He wrote many letters to newspapers, he jotted down notes and opinions, collected quotations, book reviews and copies of magazine articles or extracts from books. He wrote a number of newspaper articles many of which were published, these articles have been placed with associated papers and subjects, for example, writings on the Pacific Islands are with Pacific materials. There is a small series of writings comprising published post - graduate theses and miscellaneous writings.
This collection also features a sizeable and varied selection of official and personal photographs from Forsyth's career including the United Nations, Vietnam, Lebanon, the South Pacific Commission and the Pacific islands. There are some early photographs from special assignments in the 1940s notably Japanese surrender at Timor and the Far Eastern Advisory Commission.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1104502).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of William Douglass Forsyth, National Library of Australia, MS 5700, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The papers were donated to the Library in several small instalments during the 1970s and 1980s and one large instalment after Forsyth's death in March 1993.
Related Materials
The National library holds an interview with Forsyth recorded by Mel Pratt in 1972 at ORAL TRC 121/27. A copy of this interview is in the Forsyth manuscript collection (324 pages). The interview is available for access with the exception of a few specified pages.
Arrangement
The Library has arranged Forsyth's general and personal correspondence in a broad chronological order following his career in the Department.
Family letters were usually but not always kept in separate sequences. Most family letters are included with Forsyth's personal documents, however, some family letters can be found in personal and general correspondence. Sometimes Forsyth marked runs of correspondence 'personal' or 'confidential' or 'general'. This marking is not always an indicator of the nature of the material; the Library has retained Forsyth's markings noting that there is major overlapping between the categories.
The Library has integrated the photographs with their associated papers, for example, United Nations photographs are with United Nations papers
Biographical Note
William Douglass Forsyth was born in Casterton, Western Victoria, on 5 January 1909 and died in Canberra on 3 March 1993.
Early life
Department of External Affairs
Retirement
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Personal documents, 1875-1990s
This series includes birth, marriage and death certificates, original degree certificates, testimonials, collections of biographical information, school and university memorabilia, a transcript (324 pages) of the oral history interview recorded in 1972, souvenirs, medical notes, fragments of verses and personal writings and so on. Family letters dating from the 1930s, arranged in broad chronological order, include carbon and original copies of correspondence between Forsyth and various family members. Some family correspondence is also contained in general and personal correspondence. This series also contains local and family history documents dating from 1875 on the Forsyth Family and the Western District of Victoria.
Family correspondence, death notice of brother and funeral arrangements, 1984; 1992 (File 28) - Box 4
Includes The Fall of Singapore liftout, The Weekend Australian, 15-16 February 1992.
Photocopied newsclippings of Western Victoria, 1900s-1940s, family and local history papers, notes, clippings, collected 1970s (File 31) - Box 6
Forsyth Family history: (i) Mary Young's copied notes, collected 1970s (ii) Harriet Forsyth (née Douglass) (File 33) - Box 6
Family history notes and papers, Rowchester branch (including birth and marriage certificates of father), 1871 - 1979 (File 34) - Box 6
Series 2. Diaries and appointment books, 1954 - 1992
This series of diaries and appointment books contain addresses, appointment notes, reminders and telephone numbers. There are gaps when presumably diaries were lost or kept elsewhere. They contain very little personal information.
Series 3. Early research papers and articles, 1936 - 1951
Forsyth prepared a number of research papers on demographic and social aspects of migration during his time as a Research Fellow at Melbourne and Oxford Universities and part-time Research Secretary at the Institute of International Affairs (Victorian Branch) in 1938.
Series 4. Australian Institute of International Affairs, 1938 - 1943
In 1940-41 Forsyth was full-time Research Secretary at the Australian Institute for International Affairs (Victorian Branch) researching and writing on Far Eastern and Pacific Affairs and editing the Austral-Asiatic Bulletin. During this time he produced and published a number of papers for the Institute.
The series includes copies of Austral-Asiatic Bulletin and Digest, The Far East - a digest of periodicals, World Affairs - papers, Australian Institute of International Affairs Newsletter and Australian Home Front.
Series 5. Department of Information, 1941 - 1942
In 1941 Forsyth joined the Department of Information (Victorian Branch) where he collected and compiled intelligence information from the three Service Intelligence Departments and the Department of External Affairs. He provided daily background bulletins to the national press and radio. This series contains his handwritten and typed background notes and analysis, Departmental memoranda, cable summaries and External Affairs weekly intelligence summaries. Forsyth added 1972 press clippings covering the accelerated release of war documents and the de-classification of United Kingdom documents with these war time papers.
Series 6. Department of External Affairs, 1930s-1978
In December 1942 Forsyth joined the Department of External Affairs as a research officer studying Australian interests in South East Asia and the Pacific. He then moved into political work in 1945. From 1945 to 1948 he represented the Department on a number of special assignments. These included the United Nations Conference on International Organisation in San Francisco (1945), political adviser to the Australian Force Commander, Portuguese Timor, member of the Australian delegation to the Far Eastern Advisory Commission (FEAC) in 1945 and Leader of the Australian delegation to FEAC in Tokyo 1946. He attended a Population Conference in New York in 1946, the South Seas Regional Commission in February 1947 and undertook a special mission to Java in May 1947.
This series includes handwritten diary notes, draft reports, letters, photographs and miscellaneous notes. A full account and description of the special assignments can also be found in the relevant chapters and notes of 'The Evatt years' (Series 15). In August 1947 Forsyth was appointed Counsellor at the Australian embassy in Washington, but in practice he spent most of his time in New York at the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies. United Nations material from this period is included in series 8.
Correspondents include Sir Frederick Eggleston, Jawaharlal Nehru, Paul Hasluck, Mark Ridgway, W.J. Hudson and David Plant.
Chungking: letters from Forsyth to Sir Frederic Eggleston, (photocopies), 1940 - 1948 (File 4) - Box 13
Sir Frederic Eggleston, background info and correspondence with National Library 1978 (File 6) - Box 13
United Nations luncheon menu (Oct 1946), and issue of United Nations pictorial (n.d.) (File 16) - Box 15
Proceedings of the South Seas Commission Conference, including agreement to establish the South Pacific Commission, Jan-Feb 1947 (File 21) - Box 15
Series 7. South Pacific Commission correspondence and other papers, 1948 - 1973
At the end of 1948 Forsyth became the first Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission (SPC) which had been established under an agreement signed, at Canberra on 6 February 1947, by representatives of the governments which administered the territories in the Pacific. The Commission's role was technical and research oriented with a focus on health, education, agriculture and economic developments. Papers in this series cover the establishment of the Headquarters at Noumea, the setting up of administrative machinery, the development of work programs and reporting mechanisms and the role of the Research Council. A full account and description of these years is contained in 'The Evatt years' (Series 15).
The correspondents include John Kerr, Laurence McIntyre, Guy Harriott, E.W.P. Chinnery, Ron Webb, K.C.O. Shann, J.K. Murray, Alfred Brookes, H.E. Maude, Howard MacMillan, E. Massal, Trevor Pyman, Baas Becking, Peter Heydon, John Burton, John Gunther, Felix Keesing, James Plimsoll, Sir Frederic Eggleston, Alistair McIntosh, J.G. Crawford and J.R. Halligan.
Termination of appointment, including evaluation of South Pacific Commission, 1951 (File 14) - Box 18
Work of the Commission (first printed report of SPC, first meeting of Research Council, first Quarterly Bulletin), 1949 - 1950 (File 16) - Box 18
Various documents, 1946 - 1951 (File 23) - Box 19
Includes conference reports, meeting typsescript, and analysis reports.
"First issues": reports 1948, 1950, and Quarterly bulletins, 1951, 1948 - 1951 (File 24) - Box 19
Includes Report of the South Pacific Comission for the Year 1948; Report of the Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission on the First South Pacific Conference, 1950. Also includes SPC Quarterly Bulletin, Vol. 1 Nos. 1 - 2, 1951.
Reports, 1948 - 1949 (File 27) - Box 20
Includes Reports of the South Pacific Commission, 1948, 1949.
Reports, 1949 - 1952 (File 28) - Box 20
Includes Reports of the South Pacific Commission, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952.
Reports, 1950 - 1956 (File 29) - Box 20
Includes Report of the Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission on the First South Pacific Conference, 1950; Second South Pacific Conference, report by the Secretary-General L.B.Freeston, 1953. Also includes Proceedings of the Twelth Session : Report of the Research Council - Fifth Meeting, 1953; Fourteenth session Proceedings : Research Council - Seventh Meeting Report, 1956.
Research Council of the SPC - research program, reports and decisions of the Commission, 1949 - 1950 (File 33) - Box 20
Research Council of the SPC - research program, reports and decisions of the Commission, 1949 - 1950 (File 34) - Box 20
South Pacific Commission Quarterly Bulletin, 1951 - 1952 (File 37) - Box 21
Includes SPC Quarterly Bulletin, Vol. 1 Nos. 1 - 3, 1951, Vol. 2 Nos. 1, 3-4, 1952.
List of participants and statements of first South Pacific Conference, Suva, 1950 (File 38) - Box 21
Research projects reports, 1951 (File 39) - Box 21
Includes Project S.6 : Survey of Linguistic Research, Volume II - Biography, by A. Capell; Project S.6 : Survey of Linguistic Research, Volume III - Maps, by A. Capell; Moturiki Community Development Project (S.9) Interim Report No. 2, by Howard Hayden; Conference of Experts on Filariasis and Elephantiasis, 1951. Also includes article Moturiki Tries Community Development, Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1951.
Reports and early documents, 1951 - 1967 (File 40) - Box 21
Includes South Pacific Commission : Twenty-Ninth Session, 1966; South Pacific Comission : Technical Meeting on Agricultural Education, 1967. Also includes Mass Education in the South Pacific, News and Information Bureau, 1951.
Reports and early documents, 1970 - 1973 (File 41) - Box 21
Includes report Fiji as a Regional Trader, by I..J. Fairburn, 1973. Also includes Western Samoa : Second Five Year Development Plan 1971 - 1975, Department of Economic Development, 1970.
Supplements to progress reports, 1950 (File 42) - Box 22
Includes mixed reports on economic development and social development.
Supplements to progress reports, 1950 (File 43) - Box 22
Includes mixed reports on economic development.
Series 8. United Nations: correspondence, addresses and other papers, 1945 - 1973
In 1951 Forsyth became Australia's Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York, with the rank of Minister, a position he held until 1956. He had already worked at the United Nations on Trusteeship matters (New Guinea and Nauru) and attended the General Assembly. With the exception of the years 1949-50, Forsyth was adviser, later delegate, annually to the United Nations General Assembly from 1946 until 1958.
This series contains the most extensive runs of personal and general correspondence in the collection. There are also copies of speeches, papers and addresses given to the United Nations and a great deal of information about the workings of the United Nations. There is a small selection of newspaper clippings from Australian and American newspapers and a substantial collection of official black and white photographs. A full account and description of Forsyth's Trusteeship work can be found in 'The Evatt years'. (The time as Permanent Representative in New York was to have been part of 'Pride and fall').
Most of the correspondence is between Forsyth and officers of the Department of External Affairs. Major correspondents include Sir Alan Watt, Arthur Tange, K.C.O. Shann, Colin Moodie, James Plimsoll, Paul McGuire, Peter Aylen, R.G. Casey, Sir Brian Freeston, as well as members of Forsyth's family.
Series 9. Department of External Affairs: correspondence and other papers, 1956 - 1959
In 1956 Forsyth returned to the Department of External Affairs as an Assistant Secretary responsible for the United Nations and the Commonwealth. This small series of papers contains general and confidential correspondence and copies of various policy papers on the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
The correspondents include Russell Forsyth, Ralph Burgess Stewart, John Ryan and Gordon Greenwood.
Series 10. Vietnam and Laos, 1959 - 1966
In 1959 Forsyth was appointed Ambassador to South Vietnam and Minister to Laos. With this appointment the Australian legation in South Vietnam became an embassy. That the political situation in South Vietnam was complex and tense at this time is perhaps reflected by the number of political and technical reports, cables and despatches in this series. Much of the personal correspondence is marked as confidential again representing the difficulties of the times. There are a number of photograph albums containing black and white official photographs of Vietnam at that time. Some of the photographs have captions and notes typed by Forsyth. For preservation reasons, photographs from one album have been re housed in protective folders. Correspondents include Lord Casey, Sir Arthur Tange, Tran Van Lam (Ambassador of Vietnam), Sir John G. Crawford, F.J. Blakeney, David Hay and immediate family members.
Correspondence concerning the Colombo Plan and general administration, 1960 - 1961 (File 10) - Box 31
Photograph album, Vietnam, the visit to the 2nd Military Region by the Ambassador of Australia, 1959 - 1960 (File 2a) - Folio-Box 1
Photograph album, Vietnam, visit to Darlac Province by the Australian Ambassador, 1961 (File 3a) - Folio-Box 1
Series 11. Department of External Affairs, 1957 - 1969
This small series of personal and official correspondence and policy papers are from the period following Forsyth's return from Vietnam where he resumed duties as Assistant Secretary of the Department of External Affairs responsible for relations with the Commonwealth and United Nations.
The correspondents include D.K.R. Hodgkin, Brian Hill, Sir John Crawford, Gordon Greenwood and T.W. Cutts.
Series 12. South Pacific Commission, 1956 - 1968
In 1963 Forsyth's took a second term as Secretary-General with the South Pacific Commission. Forsyth saw this term as the fruition of his earlier work. It was during this time that changes were taking place with the move towards the 'de-colonisation' of the South Pacific Commission in the 1970s. Forsyth prepared policy papers on the future of the South Pacific Commission during this term, concluding that Pacific islanders would tire of the Commission if they were not given a direct share in decision making. This series contains personal and general correspondence, some Secretariat papers, review and policy papers and information bulletins.
The correspondents include Pat Ryan, Carlos Garcia Palacios, Carlton Skinner, John V. Scott, R.S. Swift, Gordon Greenwood and F.H. Corner.
Series 13. Lebanon, 1967 - 1983
In 1967 Forsyth was appointed the first Australian Ambassador to Lebanon with the task of establishing the Australian Embassy in Beirut. He arrived in Lebanon just before the outbreak of the Six-Day War in 1967. This series contains official reports, cables, personal and official correspondence, political despatches from Beirut and a series of 'crisis diaries' documenting the Six-Day War. This was Forsyth's last and most difficult posting with the Department of External Affairs. After returing to Canberra at the beginning of 1969 he took most of that year on sick leave before retiring in October 1969. Personal and official correspondence contained in this series shows the strain of ill health, the pressures of the war and the difficulties of setting up the Australian embassy.
The correspondents include Russell Forsyth, Joy Forsyth, Sir James Plimsoll, Peter Lawlor, D.J. Kingsmill, Francis Stuart, Torrance Doig and Keith Brennan.
Middle East materials, press cuttings and an article by Forsyth, 'The peril of Lebanon', 1970 (File 7) - Box 39
Album: Quote from Design Center, Beirut, interior decoration for Australian Embassy residence, Lebanon, 1968 (File 31) - Box 41
Album: Quote from Design Center, Beirut, interior decoration for Australian Embassy residence, Lebanon, 1968 (File 31a) - Box 41
Beirut Arabic and French language newspapers and magazines that contain articles about Forsyth's appointment as Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, 1967 (File 32) - Box 42
Contains these publications: Al-Jamhour Al-Jadid, 15 March 1967. Al-Hawadeth - Hebdomadaire politique Arabe, 10 March 1967. Al-Mouharer, March 1967. Le Jour, 8 March 1967. Al Jarida, 9 March 1967. Lissan ul-Hal, 10 March 1967. Al-Yom, 10 March 1967. Al-Nidal, 10 March 1967. Kulu Shi, 11 March 1967.
Series 14. Papers relating to Pacific Islands, 1951 - 1991
In the early 1970s Forsyth did consultancy work for the Department of Foreign Affairs on an occasional basis. He travelled the Pacific extensively both for the Australian government and for private interest, he attended South Pacific Conferences and wrote newspaper articles and books. From 1971-73 he wrote 'Post-colonial Pacific' for the Australian Institute of International Affairs, it was revised from 1973-75 and considered by a number of publishers. Forsyth lodged the unpublished manuscript with the Library in 1981. The manuscript and working materials are included in this series. Following the 1973 Guam resolution the South Pacific Commission was absorbed by the South Pacific Conference and the Commission met in new form. This series includes Conference and Forum papers from the 1970s and 1980s, papers and notes on the 'de-colonisation' of the Pacific, a sizeable quantity of research papers, articles on individual French territories, general Pacific issues and a wide range of printed material and press clippings.
The correspondents include Tom Davis, R.G. Crocombe, J.D. Legge, Norman Harper, T.B. Millar, Hedley Bull, Brian Beddie, E.G. Whitlam, Michael Costigan and Frank Mahony.
13th South Pacific Conference, Guam and 36th session of South Pacific Commission, 1973 (File 6) - Box 43
13th South Pacific Conference, Guam and 36th session of South Pacific Commission, 1973 (File 7) - Box 43
Reports of the South Pacific Conference and proceedings of the South Pacific Commission, 1976 - 1977 (File 16) - Box 45
Reports of the South Pacific Conference and proceedings of the South Pacific Commission, 1976 - 1977 (File 17) - Box 45
Photographs, South Pacific, 1971 - 1973 (File 33) - Box 47
Includes 14 b&w photographs; one negative.
Information on first Islander Secretary-General, and first South Pacific Commission flag, 1969 - 1971 (File 36) - Box 47
Indexing and microfilming project for South Pacific Commission records, 1980s-1990s (File 41) - Box 48
French Pacific, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Hebrides - research materials, 1970s (File 49) - Box 49
'Post-colonial Pacific': Part III, De-colonisation and political development, 1971 - 1975 (File 68) - Box 52
'Post-colonial Pacific': Part IV, External interests and activities in the Islands, 1971 - 1975 (File 69) - Box 52
'Post-colonial Pacific': Chapters from 'Post-colonial Pacific' loaned to Department of Foreign Affairs, 1973 (File 76) - Box 53
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': A. Documents and background, 1964 - 1981 (File 78) - Box 53
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': B. Personal papers, 1963 - 1973 (File 79) - Box 53
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Correspondence with E.G. Whitlam, 1978 - 1979 (File 80) - Box 53
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Background notes and personal correspondence, 1981 (File 81) - Box 53
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': 'A Pacific Islands policy for Australia' by Forsyth: lecture at Australian Institiute of International Affairs, 1973 (File 82) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 83) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 84) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 85) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 86) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 87) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': South Pacific Commission, 40th Anniversary, 1987 (File 88) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Pacific Islands miscellaneous information, 1960s-1970s (File 89) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Pacific Islands miscellaneous information, 1960s-1970s (File 90) - Box 54
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Miscellaneous papers: Salotte passes (1965), Old Caledonia (1964) (File 91) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Population and migration, 1967 - 1972 (File 92) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Pacific Islands miscellaneous. articles, 1970 - 1977 (File 93) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Papua New Guinea: radio talks on Pacific Islands, 1975 (File 94) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Miscellaneous information on South Pacific Commission by Raymond Paull (File 95) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': 'A measure of progress: the South Pacific Commission', portion of unpublished manuscript by Raymond Paull, c. 1970 (File 96) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Information copies of South Pacific Commission reports sent to Raymond Paull, 1958 (File 97) - Box 55
'De-colonisation of the South Pacific Commission': Information copies of South Pacific Commission reports sent to Raymond Paull, 1958 (File 98) - Box 55
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Polynesia manuscript, 1975 - 1976 (File 101) - Box 56
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Polynesia: chronology bibliography (File 106) - Box 56
French Territories in the Pacific project: Drafts: New Caledonia c. 1970-76, including bibliography (File 108) - Box 57
French Territories in the Pacific project: Papers on regionalism in the South Pacific, 1977 (File 110) - Box 57
French Territories in the Pacific project: Notes on re-colonisation of Oceania, 1972-1975 and Japan and Pacific Islands, 1970s (File 111) - Box 57
French Territories in the Pacific project: France and the South Pacific Commission, 1970s-1980s (File 112) - Box 57
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission articles, 1970s-1980s (File 113) - Box 57
French Territories in the Pacific project: Island contacts, notes and texts, 1971 - 1976 (File 114) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: Oceania: United Nations development program, 1972 - 1973 (File 115) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission letters, articles and press clippings, 1963 - 1981 (File 116) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific memorabilia, miscellany: photographs, clippings, 1949 - 1973 (File 117) - Box 58
Includes two b&w photographs.
French Territories in the Pacific project: Articles on South Pacific regional bodies by Forsyth, 1949 - 1973 (File 118) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission articles, press clippings, reports, 1950s-1960s (File 119) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission and Forum: articles by Forsyth on regional organisation, 1951 - 1975 (File 120) - Box 58
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission: miscellaneous articles and papers, 1951 - 1965 (File 121) - Box 59
Includes Australia's Neighbour, 4th Series, No. 5, June 1963; World Review, by the Jacaranda Press, Vol. 3 No. 1, March 1964.
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission: miscellaneous articles and papers, 1951 - 1965 (File 122) - Box 59
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific Commission: various articles and talks by Forsyth, 1960s-1970s (File 123) - Box 59
French Territories in the Pacific project: Newspaper articles by Forsyth, 1970 - 1977 (File 124) - Box 59
French Territories in the Pacific project: Submissions to Senate Standing Committee on "The need for an increased Australian commitment in the South Pacific", 1977 (File 125) - Box 59
Includes The Australian Connection : Investment, Trade and Aid in the South Pacific, by Ian Macdonald, 15 April 1977.
French Territories in the Pacific project: Submissions to Senate Standing Committee on 'The need for an increased Australian commitment in the South Pacific' Archival Object, 1977 (File 126) - Box 59
French Territories in the Pacific project: Submissions to Senate Standing Committee on 'The need for an increased Australian commitment in the South Pacific', 1977 (File 127) - Box 59
French Territories in the Pacific project: Senate Standing Committee: hearings, 1977 (File 128) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Senate Standing Committee: notes, clippings, evidence, 1977 (File 129) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence: return of Forsyth material, 1978 (File 130) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Senate Standing Committee: notes, papers, correspondence, 1977 (File 131) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Australia and the South Pacific, Senate Standing Committee, 1977 - 1978 (File 132) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: New Hebrides press clippings, 1970s-1980s (File 133) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Press clippings, newspapers, Solomon Islands, 1970s (File 134) - Box 60
French Territories in the Pacific project: Pacific Islands: press clippings, 1971-1975 (File 135) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: Pacific Islands: press clippings, 1976 (File 136) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: Pacific Islands: press clippings, 1977 (File 137) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: Pacific Islands: press clippings, 1978 (File 138) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: Pacific Islands: press clippings, 1979-1983 (File 139) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: South Pacific: press clippings, 1980s (File 140) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Polynesia: papers and press clippings, 1970s (File 141) - Box 61
French Territories in the Pacific project: French enterprise in Australia: press clippings, notes, 1961 - 1981 (File 142) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Polynesia: press clippings and notes, 1975-1977 (File 143) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Polynesia: press clippings and notes, 1975-1977 (File 144) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Pacific: press clippings and notes, 1976 (File 145) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: French Pacific: press clippings and notes, 1976 (File 146) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: New Caledonia: press clippings and notes, 1976-1983 (File 147) - Box 62
French Territories in the Pacific project: New Caledonia: press clippings and notes, 1976-1983 (File 148) - Box 62
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 22 Retail Price Indexes, 1982, May 1983 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 21 Retail Price Indexes, 1981, July 1982 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 20 Overseas Trade, 1980, September 1982 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 18 Overseas Trade, 1979, December 1980 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 16 Retail Price Indexes, 1979, December 1980 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 14 Retail Price Indexes, 1978, July 1979 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 13 Overseas Trade, 1977, December 1978 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 12 Retail Price Indexes, 1977, June 1978 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 11 Overseas Trade, 1975-76, August 1977 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 10 Retail Price Indexes, 1976, June 1977 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 9 Retail Price Indexes, 1975, June 1976 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 6 Retail Price Indexes, 1974, April 1975 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 4 Retail Price Indexes, 1973, April 1974 (Item) - Box 63
Statistical Bulletin of the South Pacific No. 3 Economically Active Population, 1973, 1973 (Item) - Box 63
SPC Monthly News of Activities 1982-84 (1 of 2), February 1982 - July 1983 (File) - Box 64
South Pacific Monthly News of Activities February 1982 - July 1983 (contains gaps).
SPC Monthly News of Activities 1982-84 (2 of 2), August 1983 - March 1985 (File) - Box 64
South Pacific Monthly News of Activities August 1983 - March 1985 (contains gaps).
South Pacific Commission (information booklets printed by SPC), March 1981 - March 1984 (File) - Box 64
Includes South Pacific Commission: History Aims and Activities, 1983; An Assessment of the Skipjack and Batfish Resources of Papua New Guinea, March 1984; Assessment of the Skipjack and Batfish Resources in the Central and Western Tropical Pacific Ocean, 1983; issues of Youth Link, March 1981 - September 1983.
SPC Monthly News of Activities 1985-1986, April 1985 - January 1986 (File) - Box 64
South Pacific Monthly News of Activities April 1985 - January 1986.
South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone and Convention for the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region map, c. 1990 (Item) - Box 64
Produced by the Australian Surveying and Land Information Group, Department of Administrative Services, for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Pacific Impact, Vol. 1 No. 1, March 1984 (Item) - Box 64
Also includes South Pacific Commission History, Aims and Activities, August 1984; South Pacific Commission Monthly News of Activities, No. 80 (February 1986); news clippings.
Miscellaneous Printed Booklets on Guam, 1967 - 1973 (File) - Box 65
Includes Carlos! Carlos!; The Organic Act of Guam, June 1969; The State of the Economy of Guam, May 1972; FY 1972 Annual Report Territory of Guam; Statistical Abstract Guam, May 1972. Quarterly Review of Business Conditions, Third Quarter, Fiscal Year 1972; The Guam Consumer Price Index, March 1973; Quarterly Report of the Guam Consumer Price Index, April 1973; Proceedings of 1971 Guam Economic Conference; Statistical Abstract Guam 1971.
Carlos! Carlos!, booklet about the Honorable Carlos G. Camacho the first elected Governor of Guam, USA, 1971 (Item) - Box 65
State of the Territory Message of Governor Carlos G. Camacho to the Twelfth Guam Legislature, 1973 (Item) - Box 65
Quarterly review of business conditions, third quarter, fiscal year 1972, Volume 9, No 3, Guam, USA, Department of Commerce (Item) - Box 65
Regional Symposium on Conservation of Nature - Reefs and Lagoons, proceedings and papers, 1973 (Item) - Box 65
Regional Co-operation in the South Pacific, The South Pacific Commission, December 1976 (Item) - Box 65
News from Fiji / Fiji Information, September 1974 - January 1976 (File) - Box 66
Includes News From Fiji, Vol. 28 No. 38, 18 September 1974 - Vol. 29 No. 11, 31 July 1975; Fiji Information, Vol. 1 No. 1, 15 August 1975 - Vol. 2 No. 1, 2 January 1976.
The Solomons News Drum, 23 May 1975 - 19 September 1975 (File) - Box 66
Includes No. 33, 19 September 1975 - No. 54, 19 September 1975 (contains gaps).
Miscellanious Technical Papers Printed by the South Pacific Commission, October 1965; January 1973 - March 1978 (File) - Box 66
Includes Poisonous Gastropods of the Conidae Family Found in New Caledonia, October 1965; Annotated Bibliography of Sources of Information on Plant Disease Distribution in the Area of the South Pacific Commission, February 1975; Social Welfare Services and Development Planning in the Pacific Islands, April 1976; Industrial Incentives in the South Pacific, March 1978.
Poisonous gastropods of the Conidae family found in New Caledonia and the Indo-Pacific, Technical paper No. 144, 1965 (Item) - Box 66
Annotated bibliography of sources of information on plant disease distribution in the area of the South Pacific Commission, Technical paper No. 172, 1975 (Item) - Box 66
New Hebrides News, March 1974 - July 1975 (File) - Box 66
Includes No. 12, 30 March 1974 - No. 36, 18 July 1975 (contains gaps).
Bech-De-Mer of the South Pacific Islands: A Handbook for Fishermen, 1974 (Item) - Box 67
More Effective Aid. New Hebrides Condominium Statistical Bulletin.
L'indivision fonciere et le developpment economique et social dans les districts de Pueu et de Paea a Tahiti, 1971 (Item) - Box 67
South Pacific Report. Annual Report of the South Pacific Commission for 1966-67, 1968 (Item) - Box 67
South Pacific Report. Annual Report of the South Pacific Commission for 1968-69, 1969 (Item) - Box 67
South Pacific Report. Annual Report of the South Pacific Commission for 1967-68, 1968 (Item) - Box 67
South Pacific Report. Annual Report of the South Pacific Commission for 1969-70, 1970 (Item) - Box 67
Series 15. 'Recollections of a maverick diplomat', 1970s-1993
Forsyth started writing and researching his three-part autobiography in the late 1970s. The first book, 'In old Australia', 1841-1941, was completed in 1982. The second book, 'The Evatt years', 1942-51, was largely written although not completed, and the third book, 'Pride and fall' exists only as a collection of notes, a sketched outline and a draft introduction. 'The Evatt years' includes chapters at various stages of completion: some have been reworked extensively, others have stayed as first drafts, yet others consist mainly of transcribed tape material. The introduction to 'Pride and fall' exists only on a transcribed tape. The overall book has a complex structure with three major books, part numbers within the individual books and some chapters containing four parts. Forsyth extracted original papers from his collection in order to refresh his memory or to reproduce as annexes to chapters reorganising correspondence into subjects matching chapters, for instance, 'Dili' or 'Japan'. Where possible the Library has restored original papers to a chronological context.
This series contains all the manuscripts, drafts, working notes, tapes, transcribed tapes, research materials, letters and notes for the three-part autobiography 'Recollections of a maverick diplomat'.
Book II, The Evatt years, tapes 1-23 (File 34) - Box 73
Side A: Outline of Books I II III, Side B: Outline and OM.1 (to continue) [microcassette tape] [2], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000084) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Bases INCL. CM2. Bases Annexs Manus REC II [microcassette tape] [6], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000255) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,NG/TSHP UNGA 46 NY Begins [microcassette tape] [7], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000256) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Continues REC II 13 NG UNNY46 T.AGR? NG Agreement [microcassette tape] [8], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000257) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Tape 10 46 UNGA NG/T contd. [microcassette tape] [10], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000259) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,BK II Ch. 14 UP HILL AT LAKE SUCCESS [microcassette tape] [12], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000261) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,UNTC NY How it was to work at UN as an Aust. Representative UNGA + TC 47-48 [microcassette tape] [13], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000262) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,BK II Chap. 17 UP HILL AT LAKE SUCCESS [microcassette tape] [14], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000263) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,REC II Ch 17 cont: UP HILL AT LAKE SUCCESS. ADMIN UNION etc. [microcassette tape] [15], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000264) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,SIDE A End of II 17 Up hill at L Success Side B left for Addenda [microcassette tape] [16], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000265) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Chap. 14 Our Islands Framework SPC [microcassette tape] [17], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000266) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Canberra 1947 S Seas Regional Commission Conf establishing the South Pacific Commission [microcassette] [18], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000267) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,S Seas Rgl Comm CB '47 [South Seas Regional Commission Conference] [microcassette] [19], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000268) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,S Seas Regl Com CB 1947 [South Seas Regional Commission Conference Canberra] [microcassette] [21], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000270) - Cassette-Box 12
1 item,Book II, transcript of sound tape to disk (Apple Mac) (File 35) - Box 73
Book 2 of memoirs: The Evatt Years, 1941-1951 - Recollections of a Maverick Diplomat 72 (Item NLA.MS-DM000011) - Digital-Carriers-Box 1
1 item, Verbatim Valulife Double-Density - Apple Mac format, 3.5 inch floppy diskThis disk is a transcript of a sound tape. It is in Apple Mac format. A hard copy is available.
Book II, part I, chapter 12, drafts and materials (tapes 5 and 6 form the main part of chapter 12) (File 69) - Box 77
Book II, part II, chapter 3, drafts, 1970 - 1993 (File 96) - Box 81
Includes World Review, Vol. 3 No. 1, By Jacaranda Press, March 1964.Also includes Map Showing Area of South Pacific Commission Territories within the South Pacific Commission Area, compiled and drawn by Division of National mapping, Department of Minerals and Energy, 1973.