Robert Melrose was born in Hay, NSW, on 5 April 1890. He served as a Telegraphist in the Royal Australian Navy on HMAS Yarra in New Guinea waters. He joined the civil administration of the Mandated territory of New Guinea as a Patrol Officer on 9 May 1921. He served initially as an Assistant District Officer to Colonel John Walstab in Kavieng, New Ireland, 1921-1924, than became District Officer at Manus 1924-1926, Aitape 1926-1931, Kavieng 1931-1933, Rabaul and Salamaua until 1936/37, and then at Rabaul till late 1941, when the Department of District Services and Native Affairs was transferred to Lae with the Administrator. At that time Robert Melrose was Assistant Director, then Director, of the Department.
Robert Melrose returned to the Territory after the War as Government Secretary based in Port Moresby. He sufferred a massive heart attack and returned to Australia in April 1949. During his retirement, Melrose served on a Committee interviewing applicants for government posts in PNG and also served as Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of the newly formed Retired Officers Association of PNG till his death in September 1959.
<BR><P>(Note by Geoff Melrose.)

In January 1942 two parties evacuated Lae and Salamaua in front of the appoaching Japanese forces. One group of young fit people, led by Nick Penglase, went via Wau, Waria valley to Buna and Kokoda. The remaining group of 34, led by Robert Melrose, travelled by pinnace and canoe to Morobe and Buna and then overland to Kokoda.
<BR>Diary of escape from Salamaua, Territory of New Guinea. Ms (faint pencil and pen), 22 Jan-19 Feb 1942
<BR>Transcript of diary, 22 Jan-19 Feb 1942, by Geoffrey Melrose. Ms., p/c.
<BR>Notebook and letterbook (letters-out), Apr-Jul 1941, Feb 1942
<BR>Notebook: list of personnel, stores, provisions and expenditure, n.d.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, 23 October 1921, Sir Colin took a BA (1943) and MA (1945) at Canterbury University and a Diploma in Anthropology at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He served with the NZ army (1942-44) and with the British Solomon Islands Defence Force (1945).
Sir Colin was appointed in 1945 as an Administrative Cadet in the British Colonial Service and spent a brief training period in the Western District of Fiji. Transferred to the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, he served first as District Officer Nggela, Western Solomons, then D.O. and District Commissioner Western (1946-1948), D.O. Choiseul and Ysabel (1948), D.O. Malu`u (1949) and finally District Commissioner Malaita (1950-1952) at the time of the Marching Rule. He was appointed by the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific to be Special Lands Commissioner on 10 July 1953.
In 1954 Sir Colin was seconded to the Western Pacific High Commission Secretariat as Senior Assistant Secretary, Finance and Development. Here Sir Colin completed the report of the Solomon Islands Special Lands Commission on 17 June 1957. He served as Secretary of the BSIP Agriculture and Industrial Affairs Board (1956-57), Chaired the BSIP Copra Marketing Board (1957-58) and represented the UK on the South Pacific Commission Research Council (1958).
In 1959 Sir Colin transferred to Port Vila where he was appointed Assistant British Resident Commissioner of the New Hebrides Condominium (1959-66) and then Resident Commissioner (1966-73). Sir Colin was appointed Governor and Commander in Chief of the Seychelles (1973-76) and then Governor of the Solomon Islands (1976-1978) at the time of their independence. He was the last High Commissioner of the Western Pacific. Sir Colin was knighted in 1977 and retired from his illustrious career in 1978.
Sir Colin had a close association with Professor Jim Davidson and other members of the faculty in Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies and the National Centre for Development Studies, having been a Visiting Fellow in the Australian National University for a time. His publications include Customary Land Tenure in the Solomon Islands, 1958, based on the report of the Special Lands Commission, Constitution Making in New Island States, 1982, and Solomons Safari, 1989.

Reel 1: PMB 1189/1-21 Sir Colin manuscripts and articles (with reviews), 1951-88; PMB 1189/22-23 Sir Colin’s speeches, 1967-84; PMB 1189/24 Sir Colin’s press articles about Marching Rule, 1945-51; PMB 1189/25 Sir Colin’s letters to editors re colonial administration, 1981-82; PMB 1189/100-107 Papers re the Solomon Islands, 1881-1980.
Reel 2: PMB 1189/108-125 Papers re the Solomon Islands, 1881-1980, cont.
Reel 3: PMB 1189/126-142 Papers re the Solomon Islands, 1881-1980, cont.
Reel 4: PMB 1189/143-159 Papers re the Solomon Islands, 1881-1980, cont.; PMB 1189/160-167 Papers re Vanuatu (New Hebrides), 1897-1993.
Reel 5: PMB 1189/168-183 Papers re Vanuatu (New Hebrides), 1897-1993, cont.
Reel 6: PMB 1189/184-196 Papers re Vanuatu (New Hebrides), 1897-1993, cont.
Reel 7: PMB 1189/197-216 Papers re Vanuatu (New Hebrides), 1897-1993, cont.; PMB 1189/217-218 Papers re general Pacific matters, 1944-1983.
Reel 8: PMB 1189/219-229 Papers re general Pacific matters, 1944-1983, cont.; PMB 1189/267-271 Papers on constitutional development in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, including resettlement of Gilbertese in the Solomons, 1943-1987.
Reel 9: PMB 1189/272-273 Papers on constitutional development, cont.; PMB 1189/276-280, 285-291 Selected press cuttings, 1953-1989; PMB 1189/294 Selected printed material – Solomon Islands.
Reel 10: PMB 1189/295, 298, 301-303, 306-312 Selected printed material – Solomon Islands, cont.; PMB 1189/384-385, 388 Selected printed material – Vanuatu.
Reel 11: PMB 1189/394-397, 400 Selected printed material – Vanuatu, cont.
<B>See Finding aids for details.</B>

See also SSEM correspondence, 1890-1946, at PMB 1150; Not in Vain, 1887-1995, at PMB Doc 439; Despatches from the SSEM, Mar 1932-Jul 1956, at PMB Doc 440; and Solomon Soldiers’ News, 1945-1966, at PMB Doc 441.

Reel 1
Queensland Kanaka Mission. List of Baptisms, Nos. 1-1369, 1886-1900
Notes on baptised people, cross referenced to QKM List of Baptisms, above, 1902(?).
Solomons Baptisms Register, Nos. 1-1203, 1902-1905.
Solomons Register of Baptisms, Nos. 1204-2811, 1915-1922.
Solomons Baptisms Register, Nos. 2812-5821, 1922-1932.
Solomons Baptisms Register, Nos. 5822-9310, 1932-Mar 1946.
Solomons Baptisms Register, Nos. 9311-14796, 1946-1962.
New Guinea Baptism Record Book, Nos. 1-3180, 1958-1973.
Reel 2
Miss L. Drewitt. List of Villagers visiting Mission (One Pesi?), 1927-1951.
Furlough Lists (2 volumes). Lists time spent by staff in the Islands, 1907-1965.
Grammar Notes and English-Makira Vocabulary WB [Wanoni Bay], arranged by Miss Waterson. Ts., carbon; c.80pp., (first page missing), 1931.

The copra trade was the core business of the Deutches Handel und Plantagen Gesselschaft. The company had monopoly recruiting rights enabling it to draw labour for its plantations in Samoa from the eastern New Guinea islands and the northern Solomon Islands. The labour registers give the number and name of the labourer, his or her village and district. The registers also note the plantation on which the labourer worked and transfers to employment elsewhere. If applicable, the date and cause of death is noted. There was a high mortality. Otherwise the register notes the date of return. There is also a column for further notes.

Arbeiter Register, Nos.6367-7832, 25 May 1887-24 Feb 1891 [16 Mar 1891];
Arbeiter Register, Nos.7833-9409, 16 Mar 1891-Jan 1897;
Arbeiter Register, Nos.9406-10128, Nos.1-1237, Jan 1897-Jan 1906;
Arbeiter Register, Nos.1238-3187, Jan 1906-Sep 1913.

Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon, first Baron Stanmore (1829-1912) was born in London and served from 1854 to 1857 as a member of the House of Commons. Gordon served as Governor of Trinidad (1866-1870), Mauritius (1871-1874), Fiji (1875-1880), New Zealand (1880-1882) and Ceylon (1883-1890). From 1877 to 1882 he also served as High Commissioner and Consul-General for the Western Pacific.

Fijian Pamphlets, Volume 1, 1877-1879, Items 1-13: pamphlets on the Polynesian Company’s land claims in Fiji; reports on the commercial and agricultural prospects of Fiji; Gordon’s report on the taxation system in Fiji; Wesleyan Missionary Notices; article from Fiji Times on the departure of Sir Arthur Gordon from Fiji; London Missionary Society report on its mission in New Guinea, et al.
Fijian Pamphlets, Volume 2, 1877-1882, Items 1-10: more pamphlets on Polynesian Co land claims; Church Acts of NSW; Constitution of Tonga; Enquiry into Tongan Mission Affairs; Island Voyage; Dayspring Annual report; extracts from The Aborigines’ Friend, et al.;
Fijian Pamphlets, Volume 3, 1878-1883, Items 1-9: Story of the ‘Little War’; Native Councils in Fiji; Fiji at the Sydney and Melbourne International Exhibitions; Gordon’s Aberdeen address on Fiji; Fiji trade report, et al.;
Fijian Pamphlets, Volume 4, 1870-1880, Items 1-18: constitution of the Fiji Federation of Chiefs; and other publication on colonisation, sovereignty, politics and commerce in Fiji.
Fijian Pamphlets, Volume 5, Fiji Ordinances 1875-1878.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>

Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon, first Baron Stanmore (1829-1912) was born in London and served from 1854 to 1857 as a member of the House of Commons. Gordon served as Governor of Trinidad (1866-1870), Mauritius (1871-1874), Fiji (1875-1880), New Zealand (1880-1882) and Ceylon (1883-1890). From 1877 to 1882 he also served as High Commissioner and Consul-General for the Western Pacific.

A collection of 33 pamphlets, bound in one volume, formed by Sir Arthur Gordon when Governor of Fiji and Western Pacific High Commissioner, consisting of parliamentary papers and printed correspondence relating to Western Pacific islands other than Fiji, including New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides. The pamphlets also include: reports on the cesssion of Rotuma, pearl shell fisheries in the Torres Strait, the labour trade, the Intercolonial Conference of 1881; papers relating to conflicts, kidnappings and murders in the islands involving the ships “Borealis”, “Sandfly”, “Aurora”, “Leslie”, “Winifred”, “Miranda”, “Isabelle”, “Cormorant”, together with reports by Commodore Wilson on murders on the coast of New Guinea; general reports on conditions and commerce in the islands by W. Seed and Sterndale; Capt. W.H. Marshall’s report on his observations of the Ellice, Gilbert, Marshall and Caroline Islands in the HMS “Emerald”, 1881.
<b>See Finding aids for details.</b>
See also PMB 1213 and 1215.

Richard Thurnwald was born in Austria in 1869, received formal training in ethnology and related fields, went on a fieldtrip on behalf of the Berlin Museum für Völkerkunde to the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands, 1906-1909, returned to New Guinea for a Sepik River expedition, 1913-16, and came back to the New Guinea islands region in the 1930s. He was a great collector of artefacts some of which are held in German museums, others are lost, some possibly incorporated in Australian museum collections. Thurnwald's publications are extensive (c.300 articles and books), but not widely distributed.

Some of Thurnwald’s recordings and photographs, plus Iniet (NG) song texts and tales & 741 Iniet stone figures which he collected, are held in the Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin. Some of his photographs are held in the Berlin Institute of Ethnology which Thurnwald founded in 1948. Some further Thurnwald papers are held in the Stirling Memorial Library, Berkeley California.

Richard Thurnwald’s widow, Hilda, transferred these papers to Professor Stephen Wurm, Linguistics Department, RSPAS, in about 1963. They were handed over to Don Laycock (the second appointee in the Department, after Wurm) for work on a Buin dictionary. After Dr Laycock's early death the papers were held in the Dept for some years where Lois Carrington, then a Research Assistant in Linguistics, worked on them from time to time. In 1993 the Thurnwald papers were transferred to Tania Laycock, Dr Laycock’s widow, who continues to hold them to date (Feb 2005) but is considering transferring them to the National Library of Australia. A complete list of the papers is available from the Bureau. The documents on the microfilm consist of a typescript of Thurwald’s Buin-German Dictionary, which was to have been published as the second volume of his Forschungen auf den Salomon-Inseln and word lists, comparative word lists, a phrase book and grammatical notes for the Baining, Gazelle, Buin, Alu, Lambutxo, Bambatana, Vellalavella, Panone and Tambatamba languages (spoken in New Britain, Bougainville, the Shortlands and other north Solomon Islands). Also microfilmed are files and word lists for Tjimundo (Lower Sepik) and Banaro/Ramunga (upper Keram River, Sepik District, New Guinea) languages. <b>See Finding aids for details.</b>
Note: Material was copied as found on microfilm reel and delivered in digital in same order. Some pages on reel 1 are not in order, but are clearly numbered at top of page.

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.

Captain Singh, of the Dogra regiment, relates that the Indians "left Singapore on 5 May 1943 in seven parties each consisting of about 600 - three of the parties went to New Britain and the other four came to New Guinea", ie. Wewak.

Professor Hank Nelson gave the PMB a cover note on Singh's 'Brief Sketch', as follows: "Singh wrote another brief account of his time in New Guinea as a prisoner of war of the Japanese, 'The Experiences of an Indian Prisoner of War in New Guinea", The Infantry Journal, Vol.1, No.1, July 1949, pp.56-62. In the journal article he notes that the 'irony of fate reached its climax' when of the eleven Indians who survived with the Japanese until the end of the War, nine were put on an aircraft to fly them out of New Guinea and it crashed, killing all nine. Singh, who was not on the flight, was then the only survivor. From the 3,000 Indians originally landed in the Sepik in May 1943 another 191 had survived, liberated by advancing Australians before the end of the War. One of these men, Sepoy Bachan Singh, provided evidence for the Tokyo War Crimes Trials."

Professor Nelson adds that “a copy of Chint Singh’s reminiscences written in Wewak is in the UPNG Library and (I think) the Australian War Memorial.”

The document is a roneoed typescript, 61ppp., dated 4 Nov 1945. It was passed to the PMB by Professor Donald Denoon, who worked at the University of Papua New Guinea. At the time, the author was unable to be contacted. The author's son, Narinder Parmar, has since been identified.

Letter books of Reverend Thomas Watt Leggatt. He was a Scottish missionary based on Malekula, Vanuatu (previously New Hebrides) representing the Presbyterian Church of Australia c.1895-1905. He was ordained in Melbourne in 1886 and became Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in 1931.

The material is as follows:
Press-copy letter-book, May-Nov 1896, Ms., ff. 1-69, indexed. Written from Aulua Mission, Malekula, New Hebrides. Informative, detailed letters including, ethnographic observations on the people of Malekula, the number of their languages; Report of the “Amy Gertrude Russel” Mission Station, Aulua, Malekula, New Hebrides, year ending August 13th 1896; cover note addressed to Rev Leggatt’s father for a cask of 192lbs of arrowroot together with a 50lb bag of raw coffee being shipped to Melbourne; and letters to TWL’s brother Andrew, Mr Watson, Mr Langridge, Mr Paton, Dr and Mrs Annand, Mrs Scott, Mr Rolland, Mr Baker and Mrs C.B. Anderson.

Press-copy letter-book, Sep 1897-Oct 1905, Ms., ff.1, 9-165, indexed. Also written from the Aulua Mission, Malekula, New Hebrides. Includes letters to Mr Hardie, Convenor, Foreign Mission Cmte, Presbyterian Church of Victoria; also correspondence with the Western Pacific High Commission requesting including request to register the birth of TWL’s daughter, Lillie Faith Leggatt; letters passing on mission news to Mr Langridge, Mrs Tomkins, Miss Sutton, Mr Johnstone, Dr Cook and others, including Dr Geo Smith of Edinburgh with news that the French on the South coast were not driving out Rev TWL’s teachers; and an order for supplies. This letter-book includes a list of teachers in the Aulua District, Malekula, stating their names, location, salary and supporters (1899), and reports on indigenous teachers supported by the Presbyterian Church of Victoria or by the John G. Paton Fund (Samuel, Semuku, Taripoa, Tarivaka, Samson, David, Solomon, Abel & Albam studying at the Teachers Training Institute, Santo (Apr 1900); detailed reports (Apr 1900) on the following teachers: Josua at Ambilbarap; Noa; Ambongluan and wife Mogur; Paul and his wife Letok-Surur who opened a new station on Koliviu in the Maskelyne Islands; Harry Martin at the village of Batinir (Bakineer); Nambogsia of Burambar teaching at Sakau, one of the Maskeleyne Islands with Moses; Luke at the village of Pandru-lemp (?); Ebram at village of Bobambu (?); Alek at the Institute; Japhet and his wife Letubunka who were students at the Training Institute, Santo; and Thomas Erskine. There are also letters to the teachers and scholars at Presbyterian Sabbath Schools in Melbourne (Kensington, Kew, Malvern, Toorak, South Yarra) including reports on teachers and students supported by the various Sabbath Schools, namely Samuel, Josiah; Japhet; Taripoa and his wife Lelang; Ambongbaita and his wife Letis.

See also: Rev. T. Watt Leggatt’s diaries, 1901-1908, at PMB 86 and his newspaper clippings relating to the New Hebrides, c.1891-1905, at PMB 87.

The following material available at National Library Australia:

1. Leggatt, T. Watt, First printings in language of Aulua, Malekula [New Hebrides], 1890-1892.
2. Leggatt, T. Watt, Mission work in Malekula, New Hebrides, 1891.
3. Leggatt, T. Watt, Newspaper clippings relating to the New Hebrides, [ca.1891-ca.1905] [microfilm] Mfm PMB 87
4. Leggatt, T. Watt, Malekula, New Hebrides [1892]. 5. Leggatt, T. Watt, Nembu sa atua : Pagkumu ca Aulua, Malekula, New Hebrides, 1893.
5. Leggatt, T. Watt and Watt, Agnes C. P. (Agnes Craig Paterson), 1846-1894. Agnes C.P. Watt : twenty-five years' mission life on Tanna, New Hebrides / biographical sketch and introduction by T. Watt Leggatt, 1896.
6. Leggatt, T. Watt, Morning rays on Malekula [1897?].
7. Leggatt, T. Watt, Numene ta Apostol Hera, 1897.
8. Leggatt, T. Watt, First book and hymnal : Pangkumu and Aulua, Malekula, New Hebrides, 1897.
9. Leggatt, T. Watt, Diaries 1901-1908 [microform] mfm PMB 86
10. Leggatt, T. Watt, Ensurua naho i tok rien nerambulet bembui tui: Aulua, Malekula, New Hebrides, 1902.
11. Leggatt, T. Watt, Nasuruan ivoi Marik i tos, 1906
12. Leggatt, T. Watt, John G. Paton, D.D., missionary to the New Hebrides : a memorial life for our children / by T. Watt Leggatt and W.M.M. Alexander. [1907?].
13. Leggatt, T. Watt, How rain came up through the earth on Aniwa [1924].
14. Leggatt, T. Watt, Mission to the Aborigines in South Australia : statement and appeal from the Board of Missions, by T. Watt Leggatt, H.C. Matthew, 1937.