Backbencher, 1913-1952

Component identifier:

Series 47

Content Summary:

The series contains all of the correspondence in the collection that Hughes conducted with individuals and organisations outside his electorate between October 1941 and September 1952 requesting that he represent a particular cause or grievance. It has been arranged in date order by final or latest date with undated letters placed last. Only some of this material has the name of the correspondent written on the top right-hand corner and it is assumed most was originally not filed in alphabetical order.

As with Series 29 and Series 30, most of the correspondence consists of an initial request letter attached to a copy of Hughes' 'action' letter, usually to a minister, a copy of the minister's reply, and a thank-you letter to Hughes. The nature of the request is similar to those in Series 30, but in addition there are many letters protesting about the policies of Curtin and Chifley - rationing, tax laws, immigration policy, the bank bills, pensions, and the difficulties of buying a home.

Hughes' copy of letters sent to all parliamentarians are also in Series 47. They include for example resolutions passed by associations, circulars from the Australian Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association, telegrams containing funeral arrangements following the death of Senator R. V. Keane (1946), some evidence presented to the Parliamentary Committee on War Profits, and circulars from the Joint House Department. There is also a draft statement of condolence by Hughes on the death of Curtin.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The W. M. Hughes Papers were presented to the National Library of Australia by Dame Mary Hughes in 1953. The collection was received in two consignments. One consisted of papers taken from the Perpetual Trustee Company comprising material from Hughes' Lindfield home and from his office rooms at the Commonwealth Offices, Sydney; the other came directly from Lindfield. Lists of the contents of both consignments are held in the Library's Manuscript Branch. With the agreement of the executors and the Library, much of the collection, was for a time, held at the Australian National University by Fitzhardinge. He was permitted sole access to the collection while writing the biography Hughes commissioned in 1951. Fitzhardinge's own papers documenting the writing of the biography are also held by the Library (MS 5400). The papers transferred to the Library in 1953 are by no means the total collection of Hughes' personal papers, although it is impossible to say what proportion has survived. (see Fitzhardinge, p.936).

Names:

Hughes, W. M. (1862-1952)

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