438
PUBLE RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :--
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C.O. 885
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| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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RD OFFICE, LONDON T PERMISSION OF THE
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|· |
Appendix I., p. 11.
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but in the case of documents printed in papers to in the Parliamentary papers. "for the use of the Colonial Office," we think careful provision should be made to secure that such office printed papers are available and remain on permanent record; and we therefore recommend that a complete collection of them, in duplicate, be made and bound in volumes in two series, of (a) the more public papers, to be deposited in the Colonial Office Library, and (6) the secret papers, to be deposited in the Geographical Departments concerned..
16. The MSS. of reports by the Law Officers of the Crown, which are printed by the office and bound for reference and permanent record, need not be preserved.
17. In the case of documents printed in and for a Colony, or relating to a Colony, we think the suitable place of deposit and reference is in the Library collection rather than with the MS. papers; and we therefore recommend that in the process of weeding, printed books, pamphlets, reports, and particularly aws and ordinances, should as a general rule be detached and sent to the Library for deposit or disposal. And we further think that, as regards future papers, the practice which at present obtains only to a limited extent, of sending printed enclosures, such as those referred to above, to the Library immediately a current paper is disposed of, might advantageously be extended so as to become a general rule, due care being taken to secure that such documents are permanently available for reference. This we consider especially advisable in the case of printed papers of less (or more) than foolscap size, which are incon- venient to keep and destructive to the papers to which they are attached.
18. We append a statement shewing the practice adopted with regard to the retention or destruction of printed Colonial documents in charge of the Library-Sessional Papers, Annual Blue Books, Acts and Ordinances, Govern- ment Gazettes, and Newspapers.
DOCKET AND MINUTE SHEETS.
19. We have carefully considered, in accordance with the instructions given to us, the question whether or not all Docket and Minute Sheets should We are of opinion that, in ordinary cases be destroyed, except in special cases. of destruction under the Schedule, they should share the fate of the paper-the Docket, &c., being merely a replica of the entry in the Register, and the Minutes usually formal and unimportant. But in the case of papers retained for per- manent record, we are of opinion that the Docket and Minute Sheets shou d'also he retained-either for convenience of reference, or as shewing the decisions or reasons for the action taken, or as being often the sole record of such action, or We think it occasionally containing drafts of telegrams, despatches, and so on. probable that if a general rule of destruction of Docket and Minute Sheets were laid down, the exemptions, on these grounds and for the reasons given in the preceding paragraph, would prove so numerous that the rule would be almost inoperative and the gain from it correspondingly insignificant.
20. In this connection we have considered whether, as a means of keeping down the bulk of future papers, Docket and Minute Sheets might not be dispensed with in registering particular classes, but on general grounds of uniformity and convenience we recommend that the present system be maintained.
EMIGRATION, COOLIE IMMIGRATION, &c.
21. The bulk of the correspondence of the Land and Emigration Com. missioners was destroyed, so far as we can ascertain, many years ago; and the Schedule therefore includes only such of the books as are considered of no value : We think it the important books are being retained for permanent record. well to place on record the following general note.
22. The Colonial Land and Emigration Board of three Commissioners was formed in 1840, to consider Colonial Land and Emigration Laws, and to deal with all matters relating to emigration from the United Kingdom to the Colonies (chiefly Canada, Australia, and Natal), emigration of coolies from India to the Labour-importing Colonies, Emigration Schemes, Polynesian Emigration, &c. One Commissioner was abolished in 1836, and after 1874, in consequence of decreasing business, vacancies on the staff were not filled up in 1874 the office of the Commissioners was transferred from Park Street to the new Colonial
7
Office in Downing Street: and when the lust Commissioner retired in 1878, the two remaining clerks and messenger were, with the business, transferred to the establishment of the Colonial Office as the " Emigration Department" (vide House of Commons Return 154, 15th April, 1872, and notes on Colonial Office Estimates for 1885-6 in Treasury 3901/85 Accounts). The details of shipping, &c., of Coolie Immigrants were handed over to the Crown Agents: other emigration business had gradually gone into the hands of the Agents-General for the responsible Government Colonies. On the establishment of the Emigrants' Information Office in 1886, part of the Emigration Enquiry business went to that office, general questions of emigration being still dealt with in the Emigra- tion Department of the Colonial Office, together with Coolie Immigration business. The latter department was abolished in March, 1896, and the separate registration of both Coolie Immigration and Emigration papers under those headings ceased; the former business was transferred to the Geographical Departments, chiefly the West Indian, and the latter to the General Department and South African Department.
SETTLEMENT OF SCHEDULE AND PRESENTATION TO
PARLIAMENT,
23. It will be necessary that the Schedule should be sent to the Public Record Office for submission to the Inspecting Officers, and when settled, it should be signed by those Officers and by the officer of this department appointed to act with them we suggest as the latter, Mr. G. W. Johnson, Chairman of our Committee. It must then be submitted for the approval of the Master of the Rolls and the Secretary of State, and, finally, laid before both Houses of Parliament for a period of not less than four weeks. At the end of this time measures may be taken for the due destruction of the documents specified under the general direction of the Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office.
PROCEDURE UNDER SCHEDULE.
24. The actual proceedings under the Schedule will require care and discretion in cases of doubt reference should be made to the head of the De- partment concerned, or other responsible authority. When the papers have been sorted out and condemned, the entries in the Registers and Index Books relating to the papers so selected for destruction should be stamped "Destroyed" or "Part Destroyed," as the case may be. The absence of such marking to entries will denote that the papers are retained for permanent record and are available for reference. Notes should be made of classes of papers suitable for a future schedule. Condemned papers when finally done with should be torn, and sent in bags as waste paper to the Stationery Office for pulping.
25. It is difficult to forecast, either in number of bulk, the proportion of that would be thus weeded out and destroyed.
BINDING.
The
26. We recommend that immediately after having been weeded, at not less than ten years old, the papers should be arranged in the order of the Register and prepared for binding in volumes, for storing as permanent records. (Seven years was the former age for binding, under the rule suspended in 1880).
RETENTION OF PAPERS IN THE OFFICE FOR 25 YEARS.
27. We recommend that the period of retention of papers within the office, before transfer to the Public Record Office, should be definitely settled. Treasury circular of April 7th, 1880, suggested 25 years, and the later circular of 30th June, 1883, suggested that the period should be left indeter- minate and to be decided by the accommodation available for their safe and convenient preservation. It seems desirable to retain on the premises, for ease of access and reference, as many of the old papers as can be stored, and it is to be remarked that volumes would be more easily stored and better preserved than The the present unbound papers and would afford economy in storage space. Library contains at present the volumes of papers for the years 1867 to 1873 inclusive; but, owing to the increasing demands on space for deposits other
Hamil C