Correspondence, letter-books and papers mostly dating from the period 1875-1882. They deal with: Gordon's governorships; the establishment of British rule in Fiji; legislation; land claims; the Pacific labour trade; missionaries; French ambitions in the Pacific; Samoan and Tongan affairs; military and naval defence; establishment of Western Pacific High Commission; New Zealand politics; Maori affairs; German and Queensland annexations in New Guinea; Australasian Federal Council; and church affairs. Correspondents include Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Sir Robert Herbert, Sir William Des Voeux, Sir John Thurston, Bishop J.R. Selwyn, D. Wilkinson, Sir William MacGregor, J. Gorrie, W. Carew, L. Fison and G.W. Rusden.