Guide to the Papers of Donald Cleland, ca. 1960-1990

Summary

Collection number:

MS 9600

Creator:

Donald Cleland

Extent:

5.55 metres and (37 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Donald Cleland, National Library of Australia, MS 9600, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Permission required for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

Sir Donald Cleland was meticulous in keeping his papers in order. However, he seems to have been very selective in what he kept. Dame Rachel, who transferred the papers to the Library, said he destroyed a good deal of material despite her protests. He did arrange and make into files, those papers which meant much to him, which illustrated his career. He was clearly conscious of history in the making during his service in World War II. Although not a good diary-keeper, he created documents after the event, when time permitted, sometimes illustrating them with photographs he took himself.

By the time he went to New Guinea for service with the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU), he was keeping a more in-depth diary, but still episodic, not daily. In ANGAU too, he kept copies of a lot of the official correspondence between ANGAU and the Directorate of Research and Civil Affairs (DORCA) and arranged them in an official bureaucratic manner, in numbered or named files with every folio numbered. These files are also available in the National Archives of Australia (A518) and the Australian War Memorial (AWM54), though not necessarily in the same named files or order.

Very little has survived concerning his political activities in Perth, either before or after the War, or from his period as Director of the Liberal Party Secretariat - election leaflets, a few notes from speeches, one or two reports. Even the Liberal Party archives, also housed in the National Library (MS 5000), has little on this period, and it is difficult to find. It is also probable that the Liberal Party records were not assigned as archives until many years after their creation, with many earlier papers consequently going astray.

The most important period in Sir Donald’s life being the Administrator of Papua and New Guinea, one might expect a full range of papers. One of his officers once remarked that he was surprised to learn that there were any papers. Sir Donald was such an efficient Administrator, his method was to write in red ink in the margins of incoming mail, how he wished the reply to be framed. He then sent it off to the action officer, whoever it might be. This was in the days before photocopying. The consequent correspondence would then be filed within the appropriate department. The National Archives of Papua New Guinea is the custodian of government archives and is quite rich in those of this period. A Guide [to the] Records of the Department of the Administrator, was published in 1991 by the National Archives and Public Records Services of Papua New Guinea, and is available from that institution.

What Sir Donald did keep was his correspondence with his Minister, Sir Paul Hasluck. He regarded it as personal and it is beautifully arranged in files and numbered folios. Sir Paul kept his end of the correspondence, but regarded it as official, and has deposited it in the National Archives of Australia (M333). This correspondence has therefore been available to the public for some years. Each pursued the same arrangement - each has the other’s original and has interfiled chronologically his only carbon copy reply. Sir Donald did keep selected copies of a small amount of official correspondence, mainly concerning matters of particular interest to him, but there is comparatively little of this. Otherwise, there are complete files of his speeches, programs of events and VIP visits, and official typed up appointment diaries. Together, the speeches, programs and diaries can date accurately, any important event that occurred over the period, but very little about it.

Apart from his official papers, there are papers relating to his other activities. After his retirement, all the papers are personal including his unfinished memoirs, of which there are two drafts. While the ANGAU section is reasonably complete if unpolished, the part dealing with his Administration is little more than chapter headings and summaries.

Biographical Note:

Sir Donald Cleland was born on 28 June 1901, in Coolgardie, Western Australia, the eldest son of Elphinstone Davenport Cleland, mining engineer, and his second wife, Anne Emily, née Mackinnon. He was educated at Guildford Grammar School in Perth. In 1919 he wished to pursue a career in the Army, but was turned down because of a varicose vein at a time when the Army was winding down following World War I. He therefore chose to be a lawyer, and in due course was admitted to the Bar, becoming a partner with the firm Villeneuve Smith and Keall.

Cleland’s outside interests were several. He remained interested in the military as a member of the Militia and military reserve. He was a leader in the Toc H movement in Perth for many years. He became interested in politics and joined the National Party of Western Australia. During the 1930s he stood for election to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly three times, in 1933 and 1936 for the seat of Claremont, and in 1939 for the seat of Perth, but to no avail in each case. He was also the Chairman of the Executive of the National Party from 1935-1939. He also delivered a number of lectures on political philosophy over ABC radio from 1937-1939.

In 1928, Cleland married Rachel Evans (1906-2002), later Dame Rachel Cleland (see MS 9601). They had two sons, Robert (born 1931) and Evan (1935).

When World War II broke out in 1939, Cleland was one of the first recruits from WA as his army identity number WX40 indicates. By the end of the year he had been appointed as Staff Captain to the Commander of the Royal Artillery, (later Sir) Edmund Herring, while the 6th Division was being established by Sir Thomas Blamey. He proceeded overseas with the first convoy in January 1940 and spent most of the following two years in Palestine with the 1st Australian Corps. He was chosen to attend the first staff officers’ course in Haifa. He carried out a number of reconnaissance trips to North Africa and was actively involved in the lead up to the Greek Campaign through reconnaissance, and during the retreat from overwhelming German forces. He was also involved in the reconnaissance and supply side of the army’s advance in Syria. By this time he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Following the Japanese invasion in 1941, early in 1942 he was transferred with a small party of officers to Java where they endeavoured to set up headquarters, but the Japanese thrust was too quick and the party had to evacuate speedily. Cleland returned to Australia where the army was undergoing a complete re-organisation and was appointed Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General (DA) to the Third Australian Corps stationed in Western Australia, under Major General Henry Gordon Bennett. During this time he was promoted to Brigadier.

In January 1943 Cleland was appointed by General Blamey to a newly created position in New Guinea, that of DA to Major General Morris, head of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) in Port Moresby. He was also assigned to be the Chairman of the Production Control Board (PCB) being established to oversee the return of planters to Papua and New Guinea as the Japanese were driven back, and to encourage increase in production of essential plantation produce, mainly rubber and copra. Over the next two years he was virtually assistant administrator in New Guinea, and was much involved in the politics of the army and the government through the Directorate of Research and Civil Affairs (DORCA). His wartime service earned him both an MBE and a CBE as well as receiving a ‘mention in despatches’ twice.

When the senior partner in his law firm died early in 1945, Cleland resigned from the army and endeavoured to re-establish himself in law. However, the call of politics was strong. Robert Menzies had established the Liberal Party in 1944, to replace and unite the scattered conservative parties around Australia, including the National Party of WA. Cleland was an enthusiastic early member and office bearer, and when the Prime Minister John Curtin died in July 1945, Cleland decided to stand for his seat of Fremantle, though it had a strong Labor majority. He was unsuccessful, as he was also with an application to become Administrator of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. However, the Liberal Party head hunted him to become its first Director of the Secretariat, and accepting this, the family moved to Sydney.

Cleland’s six years as director included the organisation of two election campaigns, with success in 1949, when the Liberal Party won the Federal election. Politics had now lost its appeal and Cleland realised that administration was more his bent. Accordingly, when the new government decided to appoint an Assistant Administrator to the Administrator, Jack Murray in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, Cleland’s qualifications, especially his experience in ANGAU, could not be overlooked.

Cleland arrived in Port Moresby in September 1951. Early in 1952, Paul Hasluck, the Minister for Territories, sacked the Administrator, Jack Murray amidst some controversy. Cleland became Acting Administrator and then confirmed as Administrator in February 1953. For the next ten years, Cleland and Hasluck had a close relationship as policies were implemented to lead the Territory gradually to full independence, especially in the training of teachers, doctors, nurses and others and the establishment of a university. Problems of contacting all peoples in the fractured lands and tribes of the Territory, land tenure, roads and communications and the introduction of law courts, all had to be resolved. Cleland was created KB in 1961. Hasluck left the Territories portfolio in 1963 to be replaced by Charles Barnes. Cleland retired in January 1967. As he had not lived in Western Australia since 1939, and now regarded Papua New Guinea as his home, he and Lady Cleland decided to build a house in Port Moresby and retire there.

After a world tour in 1967, Cleland returned to Port Moresby to take up several directorships. The South Pacific Games were held in 1969 and Cleland headed the Finance Committee. His skills as a lawyer were again called upon when he was asked to write the constitution for an independent Anglican Church. He became Pro-Chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea for a time. He and Lady Cleland participated in many activities in Port Moresby, including the garden competition, which they won several times and the Waigani Seminars.

On 27 August 1975, just prior to the official ceremonies marking the granting of Independence to Papua New Guinea, Cleland died. He was given a State Funeral and is buried in the Bomana Cemetery (civilian) in Port Moresby, the only Administrator of Papua New Guinea, except for the Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, Sir Hubert Murray, to be buried in New Guinea.

Immediate Source of Acquisition:

The papers of Sir Donald Cleland were donated to the Library by Dame Rachel Cleland in 2002.

Arrangement:

Order has been imposed on the collection by Nancy Lutton, who mediated in the acquisition of the papers of Sir Donald and Dame Rachel Cleland by the Library. The papers have been arranged in 25 series, taking into account chronological order and subject matters.

Indexed terms

Names:

Donald Cleland

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn716629).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Donald Cleland, National Library of Australia, MS 9600, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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