Acts, Sessional Papers, Government Gazettes, Confidential Print and Other Papers...

Division within DO

1857-1990

Acts, sessional papers, government gazettes, confidential print and other papers from the dominions relating to a range of legislative business carried out by the local governments in these countries.

Sessional papers may include records of legislative assemblies, legislative councils and reports from departments or commissions.

Records of legislative assemblies include transcriptions of proclamations, lists of committee members, and notes of papers and reports presented and on the passing of bills through the houses. Volumes usually contain contents lists and indexes to the proceedings.

Records of legislative councils are bound volumes of agenda and minutes of procedure. They give dates of council meetings, a list of those present and statements of resolutions taken. Where the legislative council was an elected body, there are records of assembly and prorogation, reports on divisions, abstracts of petitions, transcriptions of proclamations, notices of papers presented and of questions, and notes of motions and orders of the day. Also included are registers of bills, lists of members, and statistics showing the attendance of members. Volumes usually contains a contents list and indexes to the minutes of proceedings.

Reports and papers were presented to both houses by departments and commissions. They provide descriptions and statistics recording all aspects of government activity in such areas as: public revenue; the judiciary; communications; population; crime; public works; public health; police; agriculture, ecology, and meteorological observations. Many maps, plans, graphs and illustrations are included. Volumes usually contain a contents list and index.

Government gazettes were the official newspapers produced by most colonies and dominions. They provide information on a variety of subjects including the economy, population, government, sanitation, communications, meteorology and crime. They include minutes and proclamations by the governor; notices of appointments; texts of ordinances and acts, and various notices, for example of sales of lands and development plans (with sketch maps). Private advertisements are included, which record grants of probate and insolvencies.

The gazettes also include calls for tenders and tables of government accounts. Other statistical reports may be included which have information on births and deaths, incidence of disease, and weather observations. The gazettes may also include supplements, for example recording the appointment of local officials.may include supplements recording such matters as elections and the appointment of officials. Issues usually have their own contents list and most volumes are indexed by subject and name.

Comprises records for the following countries:

• Africa, South, High Commission, DO 91
• Africa, South, Union of, DO 11-DO 13, DO 77, DO 116
• Africa, South West, DO 78, DO 110
• Alberta, DO 14, DO 95
• Australia, Commonwealth of, DO 15-DO 18, DO 79, DO 115
• Australia, Northern, DO 108
• Australia, South, DO 19-DO 21, DO 80
• Australia, Western, DO 22-DO 24, DO 98
• Basutoland, DO 25, DO 92, DO 145, DO 150
• Bechuanaland Protectorate, DO 26, DO 102, DO 145, DO 150
• British Indian Ocean Territory, DO 151
• Canada, DO 27-DO 30
• Cape of Good Hope, DO 31, DO 32
• Ceylon, DO 104, DO 109, DO 111
• Columbia, British, DO 33, DO 34
• Dominions, DO 114
• Federation of the West Indies, DO 136, DO 139
• Ghana, DO 132, DO 138
• India, DO 105, DO 112, DO 148
• Irish Free State, DO 37, DO 99, DO 100
• Manitoba, DO 38, DO 96
• Natal, DO 39, DO 40
• Nauru, DO 83
• New Brunswick, DO 43, DO 137
• Newfoundland, DO 41, DO 42, DO 84
• New Guinea, DO 85
• New South Wales, DO 44-DO 47
• New Zealand, DO 48-DO 51
• Norfolk Island, DO 135
• Nova Scotia, DO 52, DO 124
• Ontario, DO 53, DO 54
• Orange Free State, DO 55, DO 56
• Order of St. Michael and St. George, DO 89
• Pakistan, DO 106, DO 149
• Papua, DO 86, DO 97
• Prince Edward Island, DO 58, DO 87
• Quebec, DO 59, DO 94
• Queensland, DO 60-DO 62, DO 103
• Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Federation of, DO 123, DO 125, DO 129
• Rhodesia, Southern, DO 7, DO 8, DO 63-DO 65, DO 88, DO 122
• Samoa, Western, DO 107, DO 113
• Saskatchewan, DO 66, DO 90
• Swaziland, DO 67, DO 93, DO 145, DO 150
• Tanzania, DO 146, DO 147
• Tasmania, DO 68-DO 71
• Transkeian Territories, DO 101
• Transvaal, DO 72, DO 73
• Victoria, DO 74-DO 76

Acts are arranged by serial number within a year.

For earlier government gazettes see Records of the Colonial Office,

For earlier sessional papers see Records of the Colonial Office,

For earlier acts see Records of the Colonial Office,

For earlier miscellanea see

Public Record(s)

English

121 series

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Under colonial regulations instituted in 1837, the proceedings of the houses of assembly and legislative councils (sessional papers), with copies of acts passed, lists of members and Government gazettes (official newspapers produced by most colonies and dominions), were sent twice a year to the Colonial Office in London. This practice continued when the colony achieved dominion status. From 1925, these records were sent to the Dominions Office.