VPRS 2896 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Surveyor-General, Board of Land and Works and Board of Land and Survey Relating to Aboriginal Affairs

This series comprises registered inward correspondence to the Surveyor-General, Board of Land and Works and Board of Lands and Survey exclusively relating to Aboriginal Affairs. The major part of this series consists of W. Thomas's weekly, monthly and annual reports as Guardian of Aborigines for the period 1856 - 1860. These reports provide a comprehensive daily account of Thomas' activities as the Guardian of Aborigines. Some general correspondence from Thomas is also included. Correspondence is also included regarding proposed and already established Aboriginal Reserves and Stations: * Acheron Aboriginal Reserve * Corandeerk Aboriginal Reserve * Karngun Parish Aboriginal Reserve * Lake Wellington Aboriginal Reserve * Loddon River or Mt. Franklin Aboriginal Reserve - regarding Edward Parker's occupancy of a portion of the reserve. * Maffra Aboriginal Reserve * Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve * Moravian Mission Lake Boga Aboriginal Reserve - regarding the Moravian Missionaries claims for compensation for their improvements at Lake Boga. * Parish of Chepstowe Aboriginal Reserve * Tangambalanga Aboriginal Reserve This correspondence regarding Aboriginal Reserves is mainly from District Surveyors, the Central Board to Watch Over the Interests of the Aborigines, and the Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines. In 1858 there is a group of files from District and Assistant Surveyors regarding aboriginal names for various localities in their respective districts. The correspondence consists of blue paper folders and single pages. At the top of the front of each folder/page is the date of the letter, the date of registration, registration number and prcis of the subject of the letter written in red ink. Each file has an annual single number with an alphabetical prefix registration. The files in this series represent a considerably broken run of the alpha-numeric system. It would appear that these files were registered along with other letters received but were kept separately from the majority of files or removed at some time from the general run of correspondence prior to their transfer to Public Record Office Victoria. Other registered inward correspondence to the Surveyor-General, Board of Lands and Works and Board of Lands and Survey, held by Public Record Office Victoria are arranged in VPRS 44 Inward Registered and Unregistered Correspondence (this series comprises inward correspondence of two registration processes - annual single number of the same sequence as VPRS 2894 and alphabetical annual single number of the same sequence as VPRS 2896 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Surveyor-General, Board of Land and Works and Board of Land and Survey relating to Aboriginal Affairs arranged by subject). Research Note: Thomas' reports and correspondence as Assistant Protector of Aborigines can be found in VPRS 10 Inward Registered Correspondence to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District, relating to Aboriginal Affairs, VPRS 19 Inward Registered Correspondence, and VPRS 4410 Aboriginal Protectorate Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Annual Reports and Journals. Thomas's reports and correspondence as Guardian of Aborigines for the period 1850 -1851 can be found in VPRS 2893 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District from W. Thomas, Guardian of Aborigines and E.S. Parker, Assistant Protector of Aborigines, and VPRS 44 Inward Registered and Unregistered Correspondence (unit 635). The reports for the period 1852 - 1855 are missing, although the odd report and letters for this period can be located in VPRS 1189 Inward Registered Correspondence I (units 1, 18 & 203). It would appear that while Thomas was directed to send all of his reports to the Surveyor-General in 1856, general correspondence and some reports were still directed to the Colonial Secretary and later the Chief Secretary. Reports and correspondence for the period 1856 - 1860 can be located in VPRS 2896 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Surveyor-General, Board of Land and Works and Board of Land and Survey relating to Aboriginal Affairs arranged by subject and VPRS 44 Inward Registered and Unregistered Correspondence (unit 639). Correspondence regarding the Moravian Mission Lake Boga Aboriginal Reserve and Parker's occupancy at the Loddon River Aboriginal Reserve can be located in VPRS 4415 Chief Secretary's Registered, Inward Correspondence Relating to Aboriginal Affairs Transferred to The Department of Crown Lands And Survey. Copies of the correspondence regarding the above two subjects contained in VPRS 2896 and VPRS 4415 can be located in VPRS 4411 Copies of Registered Correspondence Relating to the Moravian Mission Lake Boga Aboriginal Reserve. For correspondence of the Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines see VPRS 1694 Correspondence Files and VPRS 10768 Title Register Of Inward Correspondence.