• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

New Zealand Archivist Vol XIII No 4 Summer/December 2002 ISSN 0114-7676 Western Pacific Archive arrives at the University of Auckland Stephen Innes After more than 20 years in the United Kingdom, the Western Pacific Archive (1877-1978) was transferred to the University of Auckland Library in a formal hand-over ceremony on 9 October. Given the controversial land policy, and decision to transfer the public works. Archive to a location In 1952 the posts of outside the Pacific region High Commissioner in the 1970s, and the failure and Governor of Fiji to provide a suitable home were separated and in the region subsequently, the WHPC moved to the return of the Archive is Honiara, where the a long-aw aited and High Commissioner appropriate development. became Governor of The Western Pacific the British Solomon Archive is in fact a Islands Protectorate in combination of records from addition to his other different bodies, primarily duties. The earlier those of the Western Pacific records remained in High Commission, but Suva where they were including the territorial administered as part records of the British Agent Left to right: Barry O'Rourke (Recall), Heather Yasamee (Foreign & of the newly-created Central Archives of and Consul in Tonga (BCT) Commonwealth Office), Alf Powell (Recall), Stephen Innes (Special Fiji and the Western and the New Hebrides Collections Librarian, University of Auckland). British Service (NHBS). Pacific. These and other records relating to local jurisdiction in When Fiji became independent in 1970, the Fijian the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, and records were transferred to its new government and the Pitcairn became collectively known during their residence Central Archives were disbanded. The remaining in Suva, Fiji, as the “Western Pacific Archive". collections then formed the newly established Western The Western Pacific High Commission was Pacific Archive. At this time the WPA comprised the files established by Order-in-Council in 1877 to extend of the High Commission itself, together with records British authority over British subjects in the islands of relating to the New Hebrides British Service, the British the south-west Pacific, then outside any formal colonial Solomon Islands Protectorate, the Gilbert and Ellice control. For the first 75 years of its existence, it was Islands Colony, the British Agent, later Commissioner located in Fiji, where the posts of High Commissioner and Consul, Tonga (BCT), and Pitcairn (PIT). As the High and Governor of Fiji were held conjointly. Following Commissioner's responsibilities diminished with de­ the Berlin Congress of 1884-85, a further Order-in- colonisation, the Western Pacific High Commission Council in 1893 vested the High Commissioner with became increasingly redundant and in 1978 the Western executive and legislative powers and re-defined his Pacific Archive itself closed. Most of the post-WWII jurisdiction, limiting it to territories under British records of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands were sent to control. By 1900 his responsibilities comprised the Tarawa (Kiribati) and Funafuti (Tuvalu), although the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, the earlier material relating to these territories remains an New Hebrides, Tonga and Pitcairn. integral part of the Commission's archives; those of the Intended initially to control the more unruly and British Solomon Islands Protectorate were sent to illegal activities of European traders and settlers Honiara; and those of the Western Pacific High (especially the labour traffic), the Commission over Commission were sent to London together with records time became a vehicle for British imperial expansion, relating to Pitcairn, Tonga and the New Hebrides. taking on comprehensive administrative functions The material now transferred to the University, in the New Hebrides, Gilbert Islands and Solomon consists of the record groups remaining after this Islands, including health, taxation, communications, diaspora, (except for those dealing with Pitcairn, which remains a British Overseas Territory) i.e.: the transfer from all governments with an interest in the records of the Western Pacific High Commission, WPHC. The FCO sought and obtained permission to the British Commissioner and Consul to Tonga, and transfer the territorial records to the University, the New Hebrides British Service. although support for the transfer of the WPHC was The transfer was the result of several years of not universal, the Solomon Islands having a long­ negotiation, review and physical preparation, standing desire to see the material returned there. including substantial conservation work by the Foreign Nevertheless, the standard of facilities available for and Commonwealth Office (FCO), who had been the the Archive in Honiara, and the increasing instability custodians of the material in the United Kingdom. The of the country generally, meant that this was not a process began in 1999 when Associate-Professor Hugh realistic option in the final analysis. Further important Laracy, of the University's History Department and considerations for the FCO in terms of the UK Public well-known Pacific historian, discussed the value of Records Act, were to review the records for sensitive the Archive to researchers material prior to transfer, in the Pacific region with and to assess the the British High University Library Commission in suitability as a repository Wellington. Professor for the Archive, given that Laracy had been a long­ the records were now to standing supporter of be stored outside the UK. collection-building for In January 2001, Pacific studies, and once Heather Yasamee and Ken he knew that the British Clare of the Records and government would be Historical Department of receptive to a request from the FCO visited Special the University of Collections to satisfy Auckland to have the themselves as to the Archive, he approached University's suitability to me about the Library's accommodate the Archive interest in housing it. and provide appropriate For a variety of reasons access. During the year, the University Library the FCO had completed supported the acquisition their own internal review of the Archive: it would of the records for sensitive reflect and reinforce the material, leaving the way University's strength as a clear for the transfer. centre for Pacific research, Earlier this year the which had already seen Left: Mrs Heather Yasamee, Head of Records & Historical Library and the FCO the creation of the Centre Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. finalised a formal transfer for Pacific Studies in 1990 Right: Dr Raewyn Dalziel, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) agreement detailing the University of Auckland. (and most recently the University's obligations Fale Pasifika development); the New Zealand and as custodian, and ensuring that any sensitive material Pacific Collection, and Special Collections, had built would be safeguarded. Once this was agreed, the FCO up a comprehensive research resource of printed proceeded with substantial conservation work on the material on the Pacific over the years, probably archives, followed by careful packing before sending second only to the University of Hawaii, and this to New Zealand in three shipping containers in July. formed an excellent strength on which to build; and The hand-over ceremony, which finally took place at finally, the move would contribute greatly to the the University marae on 9 October, was attended by University's strategic goal of developing special over 100 guests, including diplomatic representatives collections to support its research goals. of the United Kingdom and Samoa. The event featured Consequently, there was strong support for me to a mihi (formal Maori welcome) from Emeritus enter into negotiations with the Foreign and Professor Dr Ranginui Walker and a Samoan Commonwealth Office, represented by Pat Andrews performance by students of the Centre for Pacific as the immediate custodian, and eventually Mrs Studies, followed by signing of the transfer documents Heather Yasamee, Head of the Records and Historical by Heather Yasamee for the FCO, and Professor Department. Raewyn Dalziel, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, for the A key issue for the FCO was distinguishing the University. records of the Western Pacific High Commission, Because of the size of the Archive (600 linear metres), which were deemed British public records, from the it had to be housed in a commercial storage facility territorial records of Tonga and New Hebrides, which (Recall), although future developments may eventually would require the consent of the relevant governments see it transferred to a University special collections before they could be transferred. The other issue of facility. The work of unpacking and identifying the concern for the FCO was obtaining the support for the contents of the three shipping containers fell to the efficient staff at the Recall records centre, under my Pacific researchers over the years have experienced supervision. Annotation of the 88 registers, which frustration trying to access the material, and from the describe the records, with new location identifiers is outset a number expressed strong support for an progressing well, and access to the materials will be Australian or New Zealand base for the Archive, based available from January 2003. Although stored off-site, on conservation and access considerations. We are the records will be consulted in the new Special certainly proud to offer the WPA a fitting new

Load more

  24

Copy Link