C.J. (Joe) Lynch was born on 6 June 1924 in Albury, New South Wales. He married Jean Marian Lane and had one daughter, Elizabeth. Joe Lynch died in May 1985.

Joe Lynch was admitted as Barrister, Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1949. He worked as a legal officer at the Department of Territories from 1949-1952. He worked as a legal officer at the Department of Law in Papua New Guinea from 1952 and was the Deputy Crown Law Officer and Assistant Secretary from 1955. From 1961 he worked as a legislative draftsman and drafted the constitutions of Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu (finalised after his death). He also completed post constitutional drafting for Kiribati and pre-constitutional drafting for the Marshall Islands. Joe Lynch was the Constitutional Draftsman and Special Legislative Counsel in Papua New Guinea from 1972 until Independence. He continued to undertake work on legislation for Papua New Guinea until around 1978. He was also the Acting Secretary for Law on several occasions.

This archive includes notes, drafts and published papers by Joe Lynch, and other authors, relating to the political and constitutional development of Pacific Island countries. Many of the papers are dated from the 1960s-1980s, during a time when many of these countries achieved independence.

Joe Lynch wrote extensively and published many journal articles, papers and books on the political and constitutional development of Pacific Island countries. These papers include the comparison of constitutions from different Pacific Islands, Westminster law, Parliamentary Ministerial Systems and political development in the Pacific.

The documents are arranged by country; firstly with papers written by C.J. Lynch, arranged chronologically; followed by papers by other authors, arranged chronologically. Published papers have not been microfilmed.

Series List
PMB 1275/1/1-58 PNG - C.J. Lynch Manuscripts 1959-1980
PMB 1275/2/1-55 PNG - Other Authors 1901-1985
PMB 1275/3/1-24 General – Other authors 1963-1982
PMB 1275/4/1-2 Cook Islands – Other authors 1964, 1982
PMB 1275/5/1-2 Fiji - C.J. Lynch Manuscripts 1984
PMB 1275/6/1 Fiji – Other authors 1970
PMB 1275/7/1-6 Kiribati – C.J. Lynch Manuscripts 1979-1980
PMB 1275/8 Kiribati – Gilbert Islands – Other authors 1974-1982
PMB 1275/9 Marshall Islands – C.J. Lynch Manuscripts 1980-1984
PMB 1275/10 Marshall Islands – Other Authors 1975-1984
PMB 1275/11 Micronesia – Other Authors 1952, 1974
PMB 1275/12 Nauru – Other Authors 1968
PMB 1275/13 Pacific Constitutions 1984
PMB 1275/14 Palau – Other Authors 1979-1981
PMB 1275/15 Solomon Islands – Other Authors 1976-1982
PMB 1275/16 Truk – Other Authors 1982
PMB 1275/17 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1980
PMB 1275/18 Tuvalu - C.J. Lynch Manuscripts 1979-1984
PMB 1275/19 Tuvalu – Other Authors 1974-1984
PMB 1275/20 Vanuatu (New Hebrides) – Other Authors 1978-1980
PMB 1275/21 Western Samoa – Other Authors 1970,1982
PMB 1275/22 Yap – Other Authors 1979-1981
PMB 1275/23 Law related papers – C.J. Lynch 1972-1982
PMB 1275/24 Law related papers – other authors 1971-1984
PMB 1275/25/1-2 C.J. Lynch – correspondence 1974-1982

Correspondence, 1989-1999 (reels 1-3)
Subject files (reels 4-6)
Constitution of Fiji (reels 6-9)
Filing systems (gaps) (reels 9-10)
National Federation Party and Elections (reels 10-12)
Speeches (reel 12)
Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Act (ALTA) (reels 12-15)
Files on Women's Issues (reels 15-17)
Other files (reels 17)
Printed material (reel 17-18)
Serials (reel 18)
See Finding aids for details.