This oral history audio media project, called the Fiji Oral History Project Part 1: Part-Europeans and Europeans, comprises 28 taped interviews with 26 senior members of these communities living in Fiji and Australia. The interviews were conducted by Marsali MacKinnon from 1998 to 1999. They trace the history of a number of Part-European and European families in Fiji through the 19th and 20th centuries, beginning with the first arrival of their European ancestors. A fresh and vibrant collection of many previously un-recorded personal memoirs, as well as family stories passed down the generations, it is a significant contribution to the social history and intangible heritage of Fiji - and the South Pacific region.

PMB AUDIO 1 Moira Hedstrom (née Deitrich) p.2
PMB AUDIO 2 Hubert “Jumbo” Sabben p.18
PMB AUDIO 3-4 Bill Miller, Interview No.1, Part 1 p.36
PMB AUDIO 5-6 Bill Miller, Interview No.2 p.55
PMB AUDIO 7 Dorothy Walker p.75
PMB AUDIO 8 Maureen Southwick (née Storck) p.78
PMB AUDIO 9 Henry Sahai p.93
PMB AUDIO 10 Tui Levuka p.100
PMB AUDIO 11 George Gibson p.103
PMB AUDIO 12 William Moses p.113
PMB AUDIO 13 Dora Patterson p.120
PMB AUDIO 14-15 Capt. Fred Vollmer p.131
PMB AUDIO 16 Nicky Yoshida (née Ashley) p.146
PMB AUDIO 17 Bertha Wendt p.158
PMB AUDIO 18 Alice Mahabir p.171
PMB AUDIO 19 Sir Len Usher, Parts 1 & 2 p.193
PMB AUDIO 21 “Pa” Hazelman and Noleen Billings p.208
PMB AUDIO 22 Thomas Fenton p.220
PMB AUDIO 23 Jess Jackson p.227
PMB AUDIO 24 Betty Simpson p.241
PMB AUDIO 25 Lema Low p.250
PMB AUDIO 26-27 Rodney Acraman, Interview No.1 p.265
PMB AUDIO 26-27 Rodney Acraman, Interview No.2 p.288
PMB AUDIO 29 Judy Zundel p.298
PMB AUDIO 30 Daryl Tarte p.316
PMB AUDIO 31 Sir David Ragg, Parts 1 & 2 p.334
PMB AUDIO 33 Don Burness p.355
PMB AUDIO 34-35 Bill Clark, Parts 1 & 2 p.372

Professor R.T. Shand is a distinguished academic whose more recent research focuses on agricultural development in South Asia. He was based in the Department of Economics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, from 1961 until 1999. His early interest in agricultural economics in Papua New Guinea, in particular cash crop development, is documented in these papers. Professor Shand directed a 3-year study of the development of cash-cropping in PNG for the Reserve Bank of Australia, 1963-65. In 1967 68 he was a member of a committee advising on the first Five Year Plan for the economic development of PNG. In 1970 he was a member of a Board of Inquiry into Rural Minimum Wages in PNG. He has also been a consultant to the Asian Development Bank on matters relating to PNG and was a member of its 1975 Mission to PNG.

Unpublished papers on rural development, economics and labour in Papua New Guinea. The papers include reports on agricultural economics and cash crops by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAE) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation (CSIRO), 1947-48; reports on PNG economics and development by Raymond Firth, J.W. Davidson, O.K.H. Spate, C.S. Belshaw and T.W. Swan, 1951-53; J.G. Crawford’s file on ANU projects in PNG, 1959; various government, bank and international organisations’ reports, 1947-1991; report and transcript of a Board of Inquiry into Rural Minimum Wages in PNG, 1970.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>

The land tenure system in Niue, as laid down under the Niue Act 1966 (formerly the Cook Islands Act 1915), was taken directly from legislation affecting Maori land in New Zealand. The Niue Land Court was directed to investigate the titles to customary land according to Niuean custom and usage, and at the same time it was directed that all titles issued must be freehold titles. Polynesian customary land tenure was diametrically opposed to freehold tenure and the two could not mix. (From J.M. McEwen, Report on Land Tenure in Niue, Wellington, Govt. Printer, 1968; p.7.)

Originally constituted as the Native Land Court, the Land Court is now (2004) a Division of the High Court of Niue. Appeals from a decision of the High Court are heard by the Niue Court of Appeal.

The Niue Justice Department archives were damaged by sea surges associated with Cyclone Heta in January 2004. Many of the Land Court Minute Books were saturated which washed away water-soluable ink and in some cases led to mould damage.

Land Court Minute Books, Volumes 1-12, Aug 1941-Dec 2003, indexed, some volumes badly water damaged; together with: Minutes of Adoption Cases, 1917-1932, Minutes of Adoption Orders, 1917-1924; and Niue High Court, Land Division, Appeals Minute Book, May-Nov 1992. <b>See Finding aids for details.</b>

The late W.E. Stober, formerly with the British Residency in Port Vila and District Agent on Santo and Tanna, prepared a book-length collection of the correspondence between R.J. Fletcher and Edward Jacomb, culled from the condensed version of Edward Jacomb’s diary entitled, ‘Successful Failure’, held at the Library of the University of London. (which also holds Jacomb’s complete diary under restricted access.) Will Stober points out that the Fletcher-Jacomb correspondence provides a counterpoint to the Fletcher’s letters to J.G. Bohun Lynch published in <i>Isles of Illusion: letters from the South Seas</i> (Constable 1923). In 2004 the <i>Journal of Pacific History</i> published a version of Stober’s introduction to the letters, edited by Deryck Scarr, together with a selection of the letters ('Isles of Illusion: letters from Asterisk to Mowbray', <i>JPH</i>, 39:3; 353-373).

<i>Isles of Disenchantment: The Fletcher / Jacomb Correspondence (letters exchanged between R.J. Fletcher and Edward Jacomb, 1913-1921,</i> edited, with an introduction by W.E. Stober , Ts., 307pp.

The Cook Islands were annexed to New Zealand in June 1901. Resident Agents, responsible to the Resident Commissioner in Rarotonga, were appointed in each of the islands in the Cook Islands group. Resident Agents chaired the Island Council meetings. The Resident Agent also had judicial powers under island ordinances, heard criminal matters cases, except murder and manslaughter, and civil cases, except divorce suits, where the consideration was no more than 50 pounds.

Reels 1-4: 17/1 Atiu - general, 1893-1966; Atiu – Public Works, 1909-14; Atiu – annual reports, 1913-14;
Reels 4-7: 18/1 Mauke – general, 1909-1968; Mauke – annual reports, 1950-59;
Reels 7- 11: 19/1 Mangaia – general, 1899-1967; Mangaia – annual reports, 1950-58;
Reel 11-12: Atiu – annual reports, 1950-65; Aitutaki – annual reports, 1950-65;
Reel 12-14: 20/1 Penrhyn – general, 1909-1974;
Reel 14: 20/1 Northern Group – weekly diaries, 1968-1969;
Reel 14: Penrhyn – annual report, 1950-52;
Reel 15: 17/1 Atiu – general, 1893-1913 (papers removed for conservation);
Reel 15-17: 1/21 Manahiki and Rakananga – general, 1909-1958; Manahiki and Rakahanga – annual report, 1950-62.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>
See also: PMB 1192: COOK ISLANDS ADMINISTRATION, Resident Commissioner’s Office: Correspondence with Aitutaki Resident Agents, 1908-1967. Reels 1-5. (Restricted access.)

<i>The Fiji Planters’ Journal</i> was published for the Fiji Planters’ Association. The President of the Association was L.J. Hunt; the Secretary and editor of the <i>Journal</i> was H.H. Thiele. The Association had five branches in 1916: Southern Districts Branch, Ba Branch, Labasa Branch, Nadi Branch and Savu Savu Branch. Minutes of regular (monthly) meetings and of executive committee meetings of the Association are recorded in the <i>Journal</i>. It reports in 1917 that a move had been made by the Ba and Labasa Branches to stop publication of the <i>Journal</i> on the grounds that it did not include enough local material. It was noted that apart from members’ subscriptions the <i>Journal</i> received ₤147 in advertising revenue, plus a subsidy of ₤50 each fropm CSR and the Government. The Planters’ Council agreed to continue publication however advertising fell away and, in the last issue it is reported that some Branches of the Association had seceded from the Association over differences of opinion with the executive committee.

The microfilm is made from the set at the Alport Barker Library at the National Archives of Fiji which is comprised of some originals together with photocopies supplied by the Mt. Albert Research Centre, Auckland. Some of the photocopies are poor quality.

Reel 1. Vol.1, Nos.1-12, Jul 1913-Jun 1914; Vol.2, Nos.13-24, Jul 1914-Jun 1915;

Reel 2. Vol.3, Nos.26-36, Aug 1915-June 1916; Vol.4, Nos.37-42, 44-45, 47-48, Jul 1916-Jun 1917.

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

The first three issues were compiled by Major F.R. Hewitt MC, Manager of Levers Pacific Plantations Limited, who conceived the idea of <i>The Gazette</i>. Subsequent issues were edited by R.A. Lever, Government Entomologist, BSIP, who also wrote many of the articles. <i>The Gazette</i> was printed in Sydney by W.T. Baker & Co. Resident Commissioner F.N. Ashby wrote that the Gazette aimed at “distribution among Planters of the results of the scientific researches made by Entomological Officers employed by the Government in the Protectorate and as a means for Planters to express their views and seek advice.” (Vol.3, No.4) <i>The Gazette</i> includes meteorological reports from Tulagi and elsewhere in later issues. It also includes annual reports of the Government Entomologist, correspondence and reviews. There are articles dealing with insects attacking coconut palms, native gardens, mosquito and malaria control (by H.B. Hetherington, Senior Medical Officer), wire fencing, tractors and horses, commercial possibilities of local plants, household pests, the copra market, copra driers, rice, kapok and ginger growing, export of reptile skins, Dr H.B. Guppy’s datum line at Ugi Island, and the geography of the Solomon Islands, etc.

Vol.1, No.1, Jan 1933; No.2, Apr 1933; No.3, Jul 1933; No.4, Oct 1933; Vol.2, No.1, Jan 1934; No.2, Apr 1934; No.3, Jul 1934; No.4, Oct 1934; Vol.3, No.1, Jan 1935; No.2, Apr 1935; No.3, Jul 1935; No.4, Oct 1935. (last issue, discontinued.) Vol.3, No.4 Supplement, Feb 1936. Includes index.

Documents relating to the establishment and operation of the National Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea, 1967-1977; Annual Report of the Trustees of the Public Museum and Art Gallery of Papua and New Guinea, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976; Catalogues and Guides published by the Papua New Guinea Public Museum and Art Gallery, 1965-1974.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>