16. Correspondence about Channels of Communication, 1915-1920

Containers:

Box 7

Component identifier:

Series

Content Summary:

Documents about the proper channels of communication between State Governors and the British Government and between the Prime Minister and the British Government. Material includes correspondence with Sir Arthur Stanley, Governor of Victoria (1915); State Governors contact with British Government; letter from WM Hughes on the subject (July 1915); Novar to Governors-General of Canada, South Africa and New Zealand and with Secretary of State (1918-1920); Hughes' successful attempt to by-pass Governor-General to contact British Government; to Secretary of State about Reuters special news service for Empire countries; possible Opposition representation at the Imperial Conference; and Novar's attempt in 1920 to obtain correspondence between Australian Government and League of Nations. Comprises Items 5135-5344.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were received in 1961 from Mr A.B.L. Munro Ferguson and the Trustees of the late Viscount Novar. Thirty photographs copied from the Novar albums in the possession of Mr Munro Ferguson were added to the collection in 1985. Subsequent additions include five illuminated manuscripts purchased from a dealer in 1990 and transcripts of extracts from Novar's diaries donated by Professor John Poynter in 1997. Six volumes of diaries, on long-term loan from Mr Ronald Munro Ferguson (great nephew of Lord Novar), were added to the collection on 12 January 2004. The diaries were kept by Lord Novar while he was Governor General of Australia between 1915 and 1920.

Access and use