Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu became a British protectorate in 1892, and in 1916 the islands became part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. Tuvalu was administrered as a single administrative unit from the district headquarters in Funafuti. American military bases were set up at Funafuti, Nanumea and Nukufetau in 1942. Funafuti became the administrative centre of the colony for the period of the Japanese occupation of Nauru and the Gilbert Islands. The colonial headquarters shifted to Tarawa after the War. Tuvalu was granted self-government on 1 October 1975.

General correspondence files from the Office of the District Commissioner, Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, Ellice Islands District, as arranged by the Western Pacific Archives, including the following series:
TUV9/I Indexes and registers of general correspondence (new series), 1963-c.1970.
TUV9/II General correspondence files (new series), 1963-c.1970 (c.1929-1970).
See Finding aids for details.

See PMB 1294 Information Sheet for notes on RVO administrative history.
The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory Observatory is responsible for monitoring the activity of the 14 active and 23 dormant volcanoes spread along three volcanic arcs throughout Papua New Guinea and which have produced more than 140 eruptions in the last 200 years. Monitoring is carried out at RVO, 6 "outstation" observatories (Manam, Karkar, Langila, Ulawun, Esa'ala, and Lamington volcanoes) and an unmanned telemetered station (Lamington).
In addition to volcano monitoring, the functions of the Rabaul Volcano Observatory include: geologic reconnaissance and tephrastratigraphic studies (e.g. at Rabaul, Loloru, Hargy and Witori), volcanic hazard assessments (e.g. Rabaul, Manam, Karkar, Langila, Ulawun, Balbi, Bagana, Loloru, Lamington, Victory), assistance in the preparation and revision of volcano emergency plans (e.g. Rabaul, Manam, Ulawun), and applied research on the pattern of activity of the monitored volcanoes with a view to the detection of eruption precursors and provision of warnings.
From World Organisation of Volcanic Obsrvatories website: http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/wovo/southeast_asia/rabaul.html

Reels 1-2 Box files from RVO Library, including inspection reports: records of Tony Taylor, Long Island 1953-74, Langila 1965, 1970-75, Langila data 1973, Karkar 1974-1979, Bangana 1967-1975, other PNG volcanoes;
Reels 2-3 Information files compiled by Patrice de Saint Ours: RVO History, RVO Contingency Planning 1985-1991, Earthquake 1939-1973, Manam I-III 1958-1997, Langila 1974-1988, Karkar 1981-1983, Lamington 1973-1986, Rabaul and history of events, 1974-1992, Rabaul 1994 Eruption.
Reel 4 RVO Annual Reports 1960-1967, 1969, 1987; loose volcanological reports, 1953-2008;
Reel 5 Additional box files from RVO Library: Manam 1974 Data; Ulawun 1970-1978; Bagana 1959-1976. Correspondence of J.H. Latter, mainly with G.A. Taylor, 1963-1965. Further loose volcanological reports.
See also PMB 1294-1296.
See Finding aids for details.

Ronald E. Focken joined the Papua New Guinea administration in February 1956, aged 18, as a Cadet Patrol Officer Patrol Officer. After a short induction course at the Australian School of Pacific Administration in Sydney, he was posted to Madang HQ for six months. There followed postings to Bogia and later Aiome as Officer in Charge, replacing PO Brian McBride.
In 1958 Ron Focken completed the ASOPA Long Course and was posted to the Milne bay District as OIC Konemaiava Patrol Post (Suau Coast) during 1959-1961. There he conducted patrols on Wood lark Island, Laughin, Alcester, Egum Group and the Marshall-Bennetts. He was also posted to Losuia, Trobriand Islands, for four months in early 1960.
His next posting was to the Southern Highlands District where duties were undertaken at Mendi HQ, Koraba, and as OIC Komo and OIC Nipa during 1961-1965.
Later postings were to Wewak and Goroka. Ron’s final year was at Port Moresby with the Administrator’s Department (1969), before going south in early 1970 to reside in Canberra where he joined the Commonwealth Public Service. (From Una Voce, No.3, Sep 2010, pp.66-67.)

One batch of miscellaneous papers and 7 folders of documents, labelled as follows:
• 1st Folder. Activities/patrols during posting to Milne Bay District as junior Patrol Officer (Grade 1).
• 2nd Folder. Patrol Reports resulting from posting to Mendi, Southern Highlands District HQ, during 1961.
• 3rd Folder. Patrol Report following brief posting to Koroba, Southern Highlands District, during Jan-Feb 1962.
• 4th Folder. Patrol and other reports following posting to Komo Patrol Post, Southern Highlands District, during March 1962-February 1963.
• 5th Folder. Patrol and other reports following posting to Nipa Patrol Post, Southern Highlands District, during October 1963 – December 1964.
• 6th Folder. “The only record kept of my 2 years as Cadet Patrol Officer, Madang District, 1956-57
• Folder 7. Interesting memos and miscellaneous.
See Finding aids for details.

Dr Weymouth, a Baptist Minister from Adelaide, is a former Principal of the Christain Leaders’ Training College and continues to actively support the College.

R.M. Wemouth, The Gogodala Society in Papua and the Unevangelized Fields Mission 1890-1977, thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Social Sciences, the Flinders University of South Australia, June 1978; Ts., 402pp., illus.