Asian Studies Program

Chinese Australia

Chinese Australians: A guide to the holdings of the NSW Office of the National Archives of Australia

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Series No: A1014 Date From: 1859 Date To: 1901
Series Title: COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, SYDNEY. OUTWARD LETTER BOOKS TO UNDER SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
Description: This series consists of twelve volumes of outward letter books to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Under Secretary for Finance and Trade. Most of the letters are written by the Collector. Volume numbers 4, 5 and 11 are missing. At the front of each volume, there is an alphabetical index to subjects and names. The letters in volume numbers 1 to 3 and 6 to 10 are numbered. In the front inside cover of volume numbers 12 to 15, there are pieces of paper which have been stuck in, noting the last pages indexed. There are two columns showing page number and date. The outward letters relate to subjects such as appointment of staff, salaries, seizures, duties to be paid, revenue, and Customs out-stations.
This Series follows on from A1013, 1858-1859. Copies in these Letterbooks are on very dry tissue-thin paper. Because of the period they cover, there are some references to Chinese-related matters but not to individual Chinese.
Sample Items: Book 1, 1859: Page 26-8, 20 Jun: Peculiar case of Opium seized from ship Kate Hooper
Book 1, 1859: Page 176, 2 Aug: Chief Secretary, Melbourne, re Chinese crossing NSW/Victorian border
Book 13, Oct 1890+: Page 194, 24 Feb 1891: New South Wales: Return showing the quantity & value of Opium imported into & exported from the Colony of NSW during the year 1890: Custom House, Sydney, 24 February 1891.
Book 14, Aug 1892+: Page 231, 26 Jul 1893: Minute Paper for the Executive Council: Appointment of Officers to receive Poll Tax payable under the provisions of the Chinese Restriction & Regulation Act of 1888: Treasury, NSW, Sydney 26 July 1893
Book 15, Oct 1896+: Page 96, 8 Dec 1898: Custom House, Sydney. 8 December, 1898: re Letter of Instructions to Officers, in connection with the administration of the "Immigration Restriction Act of 1898
Keywords:

opium
Kate Hooper
borders
legislation
Acts of Parliament SEE legislation
poll tax