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.