NRS-13681 | Chief Justices' letterbooks

These volumes contain copies of letters received and sent by successive chief justices dealing with a wide range of subjects, including letters sent in reply to petitions for mitigation of sentences or commutation of capital sentences, correspondence with the Colonial Secretary and Governor concerning the expenses of the Supreme Court establishment, the appointment of court officers (detailing the allocation of functions to court officers), the salaries of officers and judges, and the appointment of additional judges. Section 22 of the Act 9 Geo. IV C83 provided that every law of the Legislative Council was to be submitted to the Supreme Court for ratification and enrolment. Volumes 1 and 2 contain copies of letters sent by judges to the Governor, the Clerk of the Councils and the Colonial Secretary suggesting amendments and alterations to legislation. The majority of letters sent concern the administration of justice eg., to the Attorney General (relating to legal forms and General and Standing Rules of the Supreme Court), with the Master in Equity, Prothonotary and Registrar (concerning monies held on account in their respective offices), with the Sheriff (ordering him to carry out capital convictions), and returns of capital convictions sent to the Governor. Correspondence relating to the establishment of Quarter Sessions, the desirability, legality and establishment of Circuit Courts, and the defalcation of J.E. Manning, Registrar of the Supreme Court, are also included. Letters sent include letters sent to solicitors (notably in the Chief Justice's capacity as chairman of the Barristers Admission Board), and to the Colonial Secretary and Governor (as members of successive Boards of Inquiry into the Administration of Justice). Volumes 3-5 (4/6653-54, 4/6657) contain letters sent only. The two volumes covering the period 1884-1905 are letterpress copies. The subject matter consists chiefly of reports on capital cases and the control of the officers of the Supreme Court. Chief Justices and Acting Chief Justices who were likely to have contributed to the compilation of the letterbooks were:Sir Francis Forbes CJ 1824 - 1837 Sir James Dowling ACJ 1936 - 1937 Sir Alfred Stephen CJ 1844 - 1873 Sir John Nodes Dickinson ACJ 1860 - 1861 Sir James Martin CJ 1873 - 1886 Sir Frederick Matthew Darley CJ 1886 - 1905 Matthew Henry Stephen ACJ 1902 - 19041824-65 (Kingswood 4/6651-54, 4/6657), Feb 1884-Jun 1905 (Kingswood 7/3867-68; photocopy COD 89A-90). 7 vols. Note:This description is extracted from Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.

本批卷宗收录了历任首席大法官（Chief Justice）收发的信函副本，内容涵盖广泛议题：包括针对减刑申请或死刑改判请求的回复信函、与殖民大臣（Colonial Secretary）及总督就最高法院（Supreme Court）机构开支往来的函件、法院官员任免事项（明确法院官员的职能分配）、官员与法官薪酬事宜，以及增设法官的任命。《9 Geo. IV C83号法案》第22条规定，立法委员会（Legislative Council）通过的所有法案均需提交最高法院（Supreme Court）批准与备案登记（ratification and enrolment）。第1、2卷收录了法官致总督、议会书记官及殖民大臣（Colonial Secretary）的信函副本，内容均为建议修订立法事宜。多数发送信函涉及司法行政事务：例如致律政司（Attorney General）的函件（涉及法律文书格式及最高法院（Supreme Court）通用规则与常设规则）、致衡平主事官（Master in Equity）、诉讼登记官（Prothonotary）与登记官（Registrar）的函件（涉及各自办公账户中代管的款项）、致执达吏（Sheriff）的函件（指令其执行死刑判决），以及提交给总督的死刑判决回执。另收录有关季审法庭（Quarter Sessions）设立、巡回法院（Circuit Courts）的可行性、合法性与设立事宜，以及最高法院（Supreme Court）登记官（Registrar）J.E.曼宁挪用公款（defalcation）相关的往来信函。发送的信函还包括致律师（solicitors）的函件（其中以首席大法官作为律师资格审查委员会（Barristers Admission Board）主席身份发出的函件尤为典型），以及致殖民大臣（Colonial Secretary）与总督的函件（二人历任司法行政调查委员会（Boards of Inquiry into the Administration of Justice）成员）。第3至5卷（档案编号4/6653-54、4/6657）仅收录发送信函。收录1884年至1905年的两卷为活版印刷副本（letterpress copies）。馆藏内容主要涉及死刑案件报告及最高法院（Supreme Court）官员管理事宜。参与本信函集编纂的历任首席大法官及代理首席大法官包括：弗朗西斯·福布斯爵士（1824-1837年任首席大法官）、詹姆斯·道林爵士（代理首席大法官，ACJ，1936-1937年在职）、阿尔弗雷德·斯蒂芬爵士（1844-1873年任首席大法官）、约翰·诺兹·迪金森爵士（代理首席大法官，ACJ，1860-1861年在职）、詹姆斯·马丁爵士（1873-1886年任首席大法官）、弗雷德里克·马修·达利爵士（1886-1905年任首席大法官）以及马修·亨利·斯蒂芬（代理首席大法官，ACJ，1902-1904年在职）。馆藏时间跨度为1824年至1865年的档案（金斯伍德档案编号4/6651-54、4/6657），以及1884年2月至1905年6月的档案（金斯伍德档案编号7/3867-68；影印件编号COD 89A-90），共计7卷。注：本描述节选自2000年第三版《新南威尔士州档案馆（State Archives of New South Wales）简明指南》。