The New Guinea Society was set up at a meeting in Canberra on 31 Jul 1957, following a call for expressions of interest from Ralph Bulmer, Margaret McArthur, Murray Groves and others. It was based in Canberra and drew most of its membership from the Australian National University, the Commonwealth Dept. of Territories and the CSIRO. The meetings were usually held in the Meetings Room, Eastern Annexe, University House under strict Chatham House rules. Professor J.W. Davidson, when Dean of the Research School of Pacific Studies, ANU, required all PhD students in the School to belong to the Society.

There were regular meetings of the Society, at which papers were presented; the texts of some of these are in included in PMB1379/1. Some important policy decisions were aired and discussed by the Minister and others before they were made public.

The Papua and New Guinea Society (not to be confused with the New Guinea Society) was established in Port Moresby, following an initiative by Nigel Oram, on 22 Nov 1962. Some documents relating to this society, including its constitution, are included in PMB1379/6.
Below is a list of Presidents and Secretaries of The New Guinea Society from 1957-1965.

C.S. Christian, President, 1957
Ralph Bulmer, Secretary, 1957
Dudley McCarthy, President, 1958-9
H.C. Brookfield, Secretary, 1958-9
R.D. Hoogland, President, 1960-1
Paula Brown, Secretary in 1960, 1961
J. E. Willoughby, President, 1961-2
J.N. Jennings, Secretary, 1961-2
Francis West, President, 1962-3
D. T. Lattin, President 1962-3, 1963-4
J. A. Mabbutt, in Chair in 1965
Colin A. Hughes, Secretary, 1963, 1964, 1965

New Guinea Society papers presented at meetings in Canberra, Australia (1959-1964)
New Guinea Society: membership and activities (1957-1965)
New Guinea Society correspondence (1962-1965)
New Guinea Society: Notices of meetings (1957-1964)
New Guinea Society: Committee meetings and notes (1957-1962)

New Guinea Society: Constitution (1957-1959)
See Finding aids for details.

Jean Chambers was a commercial artist who commenced work designing screen slides for Whitford Theatre Ads in Sydney. She then worked for Vivian Art Studios which carried out all branches of advertising and display for many large buisiness firms in Sydney, including Bonds Hosiery, Berley’s and Nestles. In 1935 she married Keith M. Chambers and moved to New Guinea with her husband. They were evacuated in 1941, returned to Madang in 1946, where Keith Chambers was the Customs Officer, then moved to Rabaul in 1948. In 1948 a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service was established in the TPNG Department of Public Health by Dr Joan Refshauge. The MCH commissioned Mrs Chambers to design posters on infant care. (See posters marked “Rabaul”.) The original paintings were sent to Sydney for lithographic block making in 3 or 4 colours. Thousands were printed and returned for distribution by the Public Health Department as teaching aids in villages throughout the Territory. The couple moved to Port Moresby in the mid 1950s where Keith Chambers eventually became Chief Collector of Customs. In Port Moresby Jean Chambers designed and completed film strips for the Commonwealth Film Unit on women’s club training, and worked for Burns Philp (NG)Ltd for 18 months during 1958-59 on display and newspaper advertising. Mrs Chambers also received more commissions for posters and eventually acccepted a full-time appointment with the Department of Information where she trained New Guinean staff in silk screen printing, using her designs and stencils for posters, mainly on health education but also for the Departments of Agriculture, and Post and Telegraphs. Mrs Chambers left PNG when her husband retired in 1965 or 1966.

34 lithographic and silk screened posters on health education in PNG, 1948-1965(?); 13 posters on the introduction of decimal currency in PNG, 1965.

A Solomon Islands Branch of the Queensland Kanaka Mission was formed in 1904. It established a principal station at Onepusu on the west coast of Malaita in 1905 and changed its name to the South Sea Evangelical Mission in 1907. The Mission continued to operate in the Solomon Islands, and in New Guinea after World War II, till it was localised in the 1980s. Post-war issues of 'Solomon Soldiers’ News' cover the political events in Malaita.

Nos 1-163, 1945-1966

The reports are of the following deputations and secretarial visits:<BR>1. Revs A.J. Viner, G.J. Williams and Frank Lenwood, June 1915 - June 1916<BR>2. Rev. V.A. Barradale, April - September 1919<BR>3. Rev. V.A. Barradale, August 1926 - June 1927<BR>4. Rev. Norman Goodall, March 1939 - April 1940<BR>5. Rev. C. Stuart Craig, May 1952 - March 1953<BR>6. Rev. C. Stuart Craig, 13 July - 8 September 1960<BR>7. Rev. C. Stuart Craig, 16 April - 17 May 1961<BR>8. Rev. C. Stuart Craig, 11 February - 15 May 1963<BR>9. Rev. E.J. Edwards, 23 May - 24 June 1966

Records of the Melanesian Mission, New Hebrides (Vanuatu) from the period 1857-1968. Including the following:

1. Baptismal Register of St Paul's Church, Lolowai, and from ketch Patteson, 1928-1968, with Register of Burials, St Paul's Church, Lolowai, 1929-1964, and Marriages, 1929-1965.
2. Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, at Mera Lava, 1917-1963, copied from the original register, 1967.
3. Names of Birds in Various Languages of the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides.
4. An Account of the Huqe (or Suqe) of Nduindui, Aoba (Ambae), written c.1930; found among the papers of Archdeacon A.E. Teall, Archdeacon of Southern Melanesia, d.1966.
5. Vocabularies of and stories in various languages of the New Hebrides [including Pentecost, Maewo, Ambae, Torres Islands and Banks Islands] - Vocabularies of North, Central and South Raga; story in Mota; Vocabularies of Mota, Tegua and Toga; Loh-English Dictionary; Notes on Loh Grammar; Maewo Vocabularies; Stories in the Aoba Language.
6. Family Prayers and Communion for the Sick in the Language of Lakona, Santa Maria, Banks Islands, with English translations.
7. Melanesian Mission Papers, 1891-1934, mainly relating to land matters.
8. History and Diary of Aoba, 1857-1922, by Father A.S. Webb.
9. Records of Events and Register of the Melanesian Mission at Maewo.
10. Mota-Maewo Vocabulary.

Dr Robert Norton, an anthroplogist at Macquarie University, Sydney, carried out field research on politics in Fiji since the 1960s. His study of politics and government in Fiji, Race and politics in Fiji, was first published in 1977.

Political speeches, delivered in the national election campaign in Fiji in 1966, by Apisai Tora, Andrew Deoki, Ratu Josua Tonganivalu, Ratu David Tonganivalu, Ratu William Tonganivalu, Uraia Koroi, Sakiasi Sovanivalu (leader of the Fijian Teachers Assoc.), A.V. Sikivou, S.K Sikivou, Ratu Livai Volavola, Ratu Noa Nawalowalo, Ratu Livai Volavola, Ratu Filimone Loco, Loloma Livingston, Pandit Ajodhya Prasad, A.D. Patel, Deo Narayan (Sugar Mill Workers Union), S.M. Koya, C.A. Shah, Madhavan, K.C. Ramrakha, M.S. Tikaram, M.T. Khan, Irene Jai Narayan, Pratap Chandra Sharma and C.P. Bidesi.

The translations are of Fijian and Hindi language speeches, but a few were originally in English as indicated. Fijian language speeches were translated by Mr Neumi Raibosa, clerk at Fijian Development Fund Board (brother of anthropologist Dr Rusiate Nayacakalou). Hindi language translations were made by Mr Pathik and Mr Ram Narayan Govind, lecturers at Nasinu Teachers College, Suva.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>
Audio recordings of the speeches are available at PMB AUDIO 47-62.

Deaconess Lynette Grace Walker served as an educational missionary in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) for the Australian Presbyterian Board of Missions. Between 1958-1965, Lyn was based in South West Bay, Malekula where she was a teacher at the South West Bay District School. She also developed a new syllabus.

This collection of annotated black and white photographs and postcards features many missionaries to the New Hebrides from Australia and New Zealand. The collection also depicts landscapes, village scenes, wedding celebrations and Lyn’s departure from South West Bay in 1965. The collection also includes an article from the July 1962 issue of Presbyterian Life magazine about the status of missionary work in New Hebrides and a missionary newsletter to supporters which includes an invitation to the opening of the rebuilt Boyd Memorial Clinic.

Kalsakau became chief of Fila Island in 1908 and held that position for many years. He was a member of one of the most notable New Hebridean families of Efate. His three sons, Graham, John and Makau are (1969) also outstanding members of the New Hebridean community.

1. Lists of important dates and events in Kalsakau's career and family life.
2. Record of births and deaths (1908-1961)
3. Accounts relating to business, household and the marriage feast of his son Makau (March 1, 1945)
4. Record (September 1956) of visit by Gen. and Mme de Gaulle
5. Centenary Celebrations, Erakor, 1st May, 1945 - an account of the settlement of Erakor by the early missionaries.
6. School fees collected in 1943 - list of families and amount paid.
7. Lease of land owned by Kalsakau.
8. Celebration of the 105th Anniversary of the New Hebrides Presbyterian Mission, May 1, 1950.
9. Correspondence regarding residency of Fila Island Reserve.
10. Discipline book (1911-1943) in which fines and other punishments against members of Kalsakau's village are recorded.

<i>Black & White: the Territory’s monthly magazine</i>, was edited by Henri Lachajczak and published by the Southsea Publishing Company in Boroko, Port Moresby. A well illustrated satirical magazine for the expatriate community, Black & White “set out to prove that the people of this Territory are capable of having a laugh at themselves”. It includes cartoons of Gordon Tripp, attacks on the Territory’s administration and commentary on race relations leading up to independence in Papua New Guinea. It was eventually suppressed by legislation in the House of Assembly preventing publication of written matter which could be construed as “threatening, provocative or offensive to people of other races or tribes.” See also Max Harris, “A few blacks and whites on New Guinea”, The Australian, 26 Oct 1968.

Vol. 1 Nos.1-20, Nov 1966-Oct/Nov 1968;

Vol.2, Nos.1-6, Dec 1968-Jun 1969;

Final issue (un-numbered), Jul 1969.

<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>

Joanne Wodak worked as a Tutor then Senior Tutor in literature at the University of Papua New Guinea from 1968-1970. This collection is the result of research conducted in Ombisusu in the latter part of the first half of 1969. It consists of stories by inhabitants of Ombisusu that were mostly translated into English, some left in the original language, and written down or typed by the researcher after recording them on tape. The aim of collecting stories was to keep them for the benefit of the children of Ombisusu villagers and for other people in Papua New Guinea. The collection contains origin stories, history stories and clan stories.