Colonial Secretary Guide - Flipbook - Page 64
- 63 APPENDIX D
MINUTES AND MEMORANDA
The system of minutes and memoranda was instituted by Governor Darling to convey official
instructions to the Colonial Secretary. Minutes were in the Governor's own hand; while memoranda
were written in another hand, not the Governor's.
With the governorship of Sir George Gipps (1838) minutes ceased to be written out in full. Increasingly
the Governor conveyed his instructions by notation on the in-letters referred to him for decision. From
1838 the minutes from the Governor to the Colonial Secretary consist chiefly of summaries from the
Minutes of the Executive Council conveying its decisions noted with the Governor's approval, originals or
copies of despatches from the Secretary of State for the information or action of the Colonial Secretary,
relevant letters from the Colonial Agent (later Agent General) in London, and letters passed on from other
officers in London eg. Emigration Commissioners. These papers are occasionally included before 1838
but more often the Governor sent separate instructions.
About May 1855 two new forms of minute registration were introduced, taking the form M (running
number)/ A and M (running number)/B. Unfortunately the registers of the M/A minutes have not
survived and the difference between those registered in this way and the ordinary minutes is not always
clear.
The minutes registered in the first form (eg. M66 / A) consist chiefly of instructions to the Colonial
Secretary and other public officers from the Governor (frequently relating to the gazetting of
appointments), and occasionally instructions drafted by the Colonial Secretary and approved by the
Governor. This form of registration was only used for two years, ceasing late in 1856. These minutes
were filed separately.
The second system (eg. M107/B) registered despatches from the Secretary of State transmitted by the
Governor to the Colonial Secretary for his information or action and sent on to the relevant minister.
Despatches so registered occur until 1912 being kept in a separate bundle for each year. A register of
these despatches has survived for the period 1890-1912 (4/8263).
Notes on Registers:
"Adverting to Your remark this morning on the necessity of recording all the Governor's
Minutes (and Memoranda) and the proprietary of preserving them from being soiled &c.
- and coupling these considerations with the delay which may be sometimes occasioned
by the non-entry of any Minute which it may be expedient to keep back, and the
difficulty of referring to a book, if more than one reference is required at the same time,
would it not be better to adopt the following course, as likely to secure all the intended
advantages (and some others) with the least labour, viz:
1.
To open a Register, similar to the letter Register, in which should be
entered every Minute and Memorandum immediately upon its being
given out to be acted on.
2.
As soon as entered to cause a Copy to be made for office use.
3.
That Copy, when acted on, to remain with Mr Nye, the same as common
letters - the original being locked up until the end of the year, and then
bound".
- Office memo dated 21 July 1829 (located in front of 4/1074)
