3
PUBLIC RECORDS IN THE COLONIAL
OFFICE.
436
Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to consider questions relating to the Custody of Official Correspondence and the selection and destruction of Valueless Documents, &c., in the Colonial Office.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
mmimimim
Reference :-
C.O. 885
8
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
BE RE
CED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
ALLY V
T PERMISSION OF THE
PUBLIC
RD OFFICE, LONDON
We have the honour to submit the following Report on the questions which we were instructed by the Secretary of State to consider, relating to the custody of official correspondence, and the selection and destruction of valueless docu- ments, &c., in the Colonial Office.
5,140-80 19,553-82 19,955-82 *4,052-83
8,902-83
Treas. :
2. We have held twelve meetings; and we have had before us the Public Treas. Record Office Acts, 1838-1898. and the registered correspondence between this Office and the Treasury, Council Office, and Public Record Office, between the years 1880 and 1890, together with the various office minutes thereon and subsequent memoranda. From these papers it appears that the serious accumu- Council: lation of papers received into the Public Record Office from the Executive Departments of the State caused the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to 11,429-83 address a circular letter, dated 7th April, 1880, to Government Departments, Rec.Office: making suggestions for the systematic destruction of valueless documents by 9,871-89 those Departments. It was pointed out that all public documents, as being 10,829-89 "records of Her Majesty," are under the general charge and superintendence of 13,125-90 the Master of the Rolls, wherever kept, and although in the actual custody of the Rec. Office: Executive Departments of State, and that no disposal of them can take place 23,011-90 except under the provisions of the Public Record Office Act of 1877, and Rules Col. Office: 22,802-92 At that time the Colonial Office had in its custody papers of made thereunder. the years 1850 to 1880 inclusive, of which those from 1850 to 1873 were bound in volumes. Pending the adoption of some system of "weeding" as suggested, it was decided to suspend the rule then in force of binding all papers at seven years old and a promise was made to the Treasury (24th November, 1880)) that the question should be considered at leisure.
3. Copies of Statutory Rules and Orders were received in the office from time to time; and it appears to have been virtually decided in 1889 to postpone serious consideration of the matter until the year 1899, by which date the Colonial Office unbound papers would have accumulated for twenty-five years. The subject has, however, been left in abeyance during the heavy pressure of business of recent years, and the degree of its urgency has been determined mainly by the amount of storage space available for the bundles of loose papers. The creation of the Sub-Registries, by furnishing additional accommodation, has allowed of some further delay; but the space suitable for storing' papers is now practically exhausted. Serious inconvenience is arising from the accumulation alone; and account must also be taken of the manifest loss as regards the facility of custody and reference which bound papers afford, and of the unavoidable deterioration of the loose documents by dirt und damage.
4. We are, therefore, of opinion that this Department should at once avail itself of the powers conferred by the Act and Rules, and that the necessary action should be taken as completely and promptly as possible. We may observe that various Government Departments, including the Treasury, Admiralty, War Office, Home Office, and Audit Office, have many years since arranged for the disposal or destruction of the valueless and unimportant documents in their custody.
50 G 384 Wt 25695 5/03 Dk B 6 18803
Council:
22,774-96