Public Life Files., 1894 - 1934
Scope and Contents
This, the largest series in the collection, contains ninety-two record items, including twenty-three bound volumes. Although some files contain letters and other papers, the material consists principally of newspaper clippings dealing with public affairs in which Sir George was interested or took a part during his very active public life. The files that he accumulated in his parliamentary office and continued to accumulate after his resignation from the Ministry form the core of the group. Included in this series because their contents are of the same nature as the files, are the bound volumes of newspaper clippings. The record items of the series are essentially subject files, that is dossiers of classified information about public questions, or public affairs in which Fowlds participated or was the central figure.
The two principal physical types represented are office files and bound volumes. The majority of the office files are housed between Government-issue cover sheets lined with orange cloth. The units have been arranged chronologically by years. Unchassified newspaper clippings have been mounted, if necessary, and either added to existing files or made up into convenient units of miscellaneous newspaper clippings. Correspondence items and other papers have not been removed. There has been little rearrangement within the files so that in most cases the date order runs from the back to the front. The period covered is from 1894 to 1934, that is from the beginning of Sir George's political career until his death. The two columes listed as items 60 and 92 have been retained by Mr. G. M. Fowlds. The subject content of the material is multifarious, covering Sir George's interests and activities as a political aspirant, Member of Parliament, Minister of the Crown, and public figure. Some of the files were the result of his performance of a particular function or activity, whilst others were accumulated as aide-memoire about current controversies or matters of interest.
The clippings come from a wide range of New Zealand papers, and from British and South African journals. They were obtained from several sources. Some were either put aside by Fowlds himself, or sent to him by friends and relations. The majority were supplied by official agencies, such as the Advertising Department, or by a newspaper clipping service to which he subscribed. The significance of the series lies in the light that it throws upon the variety of problems faced by a man of affairs of the period, as well as upon the day-to-day political scene and the currents of ideas on social and political questions of the age in which he lived.
Dates
- 1894 - 1934
Creator
- From the Collection: Grey, George, Sir (Person)
- From the Collection: Yates, C. C. (Person)
- From the Collection: Withy, Arthur (Person)
- From the Collection: Young, J. A. (Person)
- From the Collection: Valintine, Thomas Harcourt (Person)
- From the Collection: Turnbull, Alexander (Person)
- From the Collection: Wilson, James (Person)
- From the Collection: Ward, Joseph, Sir (Person)
- From the Collection: Rutherford, A. W. (Person)
- From the Collection: Spragg, Wesley (Person)
- From the Collection: Taylor, T.E. (Person)
- From the Collection: Tobacco Producers' Trust Ltd (Organization)
- From the Collection: Porangi (Person)
- From the Collection: Renown Clothing Company Ltd (Organization)
- From the Collection: Riddet, W (William) (Person)
- From the Collection: Rotary International. New Zealand (Organization)
- From the Collection: Parenga Tung Oil Ltd (Organization)
- From the Collection: Payne, J. (Person)
- From the Collection: Peren, G.S. (Geoffrey Sylvester) (Person)
- From the Collection: Plunket, William Lee, Sir (Person)
- From the Collection: New Zealand Red Cross Society (Organization)
- From the Collection: St John (Organization : N.Z.) (Organization)
- From the Collection: O'Regan, P.J. (Patrick Joseph) (Person)
- From the Collection: Orr, Thomas W. (Person)
- From the Collection: Bengough, J.W. (John Wilson) (Person)
- From the Collection: Barclay, Alfred Richard (Person)
- From the Collection: Cleary, Henry W. (Henry William) (Title of a work--Child in the home and the school .; ) (Person)
- From the Collection: Blomfield, J.C. (Person)
- From the Collection: Cumberworth, F.H. (Person)
- From the Collection: Cohen, Mark (Person)
- From the Collection: Flurscheim, Margaret (Person)
- From the Collection: Eden District Cricket Club (Organization)
- From the Collection: Low, David (Person)
- From the Collection: Mackenzie, Beryl (Person)
- From the Collection: Jenkin, John (Person)
- From the Collection: Jubilee Institute for the Blind (Organization)
- From the Collection: Higgins, George (Person)
- From the Collection: Fowlds, G.M. (George Matthew), 1886-1974 (Person)
- From the Collection: Hiscocks, E.F. (Ercildoune Frederick) (Person)
- From the Collection: Flurscheim, Michael (Person)
- From the Collection: New Zealand Export Traders Corporation (Organization)
- From the Collection: New Zealand Land Values League (Organization)
- From the Collection: New Zealand Alliance for the Abolition of the Liquor Traffic (Organization)
- From the Collection: New Zealand Anti-Opium Association (Organization)
- From the Collection: Meiklejohn, A. W. (Person)
- From the Collection: Mt Tokatea Mineral Fertiliser Company (Organization)
- From the Collection: Manson, William (Person)
- From the Collection: McNab, Robert (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Not restricted
Extent
From the Collection: 8.9 metres
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, University of Auckland Repository
5 Alfred Street
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142 New Zealand
specialcollections@auckland.ac.nz