MS 8882
Papers of Stewart Harris (1922-1994)
- 1916-1994
- 7.76 m. (42 boxes and 1 carton) + 3 folio boxes
- Available for reference
In December 1994 the National Library of Australia purchased the
papers of Stewart Harris, for more than twenty years Foreign Correspondent
in Australia for The Times newspaper. The collection contains
a large sequence of correspondence and clippings relating to his
work for The Times as well as articles and letters concerning
contributions made to other newspapers and journals in Australia
and Britain.
The remaining portion of the collection has a wide subject range,
reflecting the diverse nature of Harris' interests, and includes
papers on the topics of Northern Australian development, the 1971
Springbok tour of Australia and Australian recognition of the
Palestinian Liberation Organisation. In addition, a large body
of papers document Harris' involvement in the Aboriginal rights
movement, in his various roles as author, academic, member of
the Aboriginal Treaty Committee and as public relations officer
for the Northern Land Council.
Lectures, conference proceedings and other speeches recorded by
Harris relating to the Aboriginal rights movement are stored in
the National Library's Oral History Collection.
Also preserved in the Oral History Collection are a number of
interviews and other recordings conducted by Harris in his capacity
as a journalist and contract interviewer.
1922 Born Woking, Surrey
1944-46 Served as a seaman in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
and later as a lieutenant, Air Intelligence
1945-46 Correspondence student of the London School of Journalism
1947 Graduated with a Masters Degree in history from Cambridge
University
1947-48 Working holiday as a labourer in rural Australia
1948-49 Gained employment as a broker at Lloyds of London and
also as a freelance writer
1949 Journalist writing for the Yorkshire Post
1950-51 Employed by The Times, London as a subeditor, special
correspondent and leader writer
1951-1953 Employed by The Herald newspaper group in Brisbane
and Sydney
1953-54 Overland journey through Asian subcontinent to London
1955 Returned to Australia as assistant to The Times staff
correspondent in Melbourne, and marriage later in the same
year to Mary Orr Deas in London
1957-1973 Served as The Times correspondent in Australia
and became a naturalized Australian and resident of Canberra
1967 The Times special foreign correspondent in Egypt during
six day war
1967-68 The Times special foreign correspondent, Vietnam
1968 First foreign correspondent permitted entry into Irian Jaya
1971 Publication of Political Football
1972 Publication of This Our Land
1973-77 Senior Research Fellow, Research School of Pacific Studies,
Australian National University, Canberra
1977-78 Public relations adviser for the Northern Land Council
1978-80 Foreign affairs research specialist, Parliamentary Library,
Canberra
1978-83 Member of the Aboriginal Treaty Committee
1979 Publication of It's Coming Yet
1980-84 Senior editorial writer, The Canberra Times
1984 Member of the Influential Persons Delegation to China and,
with his wife, retired to Braidwood, N.S.W.
1984-93 Freelance journalist
1987-88 Information Officer for the Australian Council for Overseas
Aid
1994 Died at Braidwood, N.S.W.
- Diaries, address books, 1943-91
- Personal and family papers and correspondence, 1916-84
- General correspondence and papers, 1944-94
- London School of Journalism, 1945-46
- Working holiday in Australia, 1947-48
- Early journalistic writings, England, 1949-51
- Early journalistic writings, Australia, 1951-56
- Foreign Correspondent, The Times, in Australia, 1955-73
- Special foreign correspondent, The Times: Vietnam,
1967-68; Egypt, 1967; Southeast Asia, 1968-74
- Springbok tour of Australia, 1971
- This Our Land (1972)
- Senior Research Fellow, ANU, 1973-77
- Northern Land Council, 1977-78
- Aboriginal Treaty Committee and It's Coming Yet, 1978-93
- General correspondence and publications relating to Aboriginal
issues, 1946-93
- Foreign Affairs Research Specialist, Parliamentary Library,
1978-80
- Senior Editorial Writer, The Canberra Times, 1980-84
- Freelance journalism, 1984-93
- Influential Persons Delegation, China, 1984
- Palestinian dispute
- Australian Council for Overseas Aid, 1987-88
- Braidwood properties, 1963-93
- Unpublished children's book All Alone At Half Moon, 1969-86
- Photographs
- Papers relating to Madan and Dorothy Nagrath
1. DIARIES, ADDRESS BOOKS, 1943-91
Through his journalistic career, both in Australia and Britain,
Harris kept a sequence of small diaries in which he recorded appointments,
names and addresses and short notes.
Diaries kept while a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian
National University in 1973-76 can be found in Series 12.
Folder Item Year
1 1 1943
2 ca. 1944
2 3 1948
4 1949
5 1951
6-7 1952
8 1953
9 1954
10 1955
11 1957
3 12 1962
13 1963
14 1964
15 1966
16-17 1967
18 1968
19 1969
20 1970
21 1971
4 22 1972
23-24 1973
25 1974
26 1975
27 1976
28 1977
29 1978
30 1979
31 1980
5 32 1981
33 1982
34 1983
35 1984
36 1985
37 1986
38 1987
39 1988
40 1989
41 1990
42 1991
43 Address book, ca. 1940s
44-45 Address books, ca. 1970
In addition to the photographs filed here, photographs documenting
the early part of Harris' life, friendships, university days and
military service are filed in Series 24.
Folders/Pieces
1 Birth and marriage certificates, including those of Harris' parents;
Harris family tree and other genealogical notes; papers relating to
Grant Harris (Stewart Harris' brother who was killed in World War II)
2 Personal and family photographs
3 Passports and official identification cards of Stewart Harris
4 Photographs and concert programme from schooldays at Marlborough
College
5 Cambridge University photographs, degrees and essays
6 Documents, correspondence, photographs relating to naval and air
training
7 Album containing photographs and results of golfing competitions
whilst a schoolboy and at Cambridge, and photographs of his war
training and service
8 Press clippings about Stewart Harris
9 Scrapbook containing newspaper articles about Stewart Harris
10 Letters to Kate Harris (Stewart Harris' mother), 1916-1956
11 Letters, cables from Kate Harris to Stewart Harris, 1951-53
12 Letters and miscellaneous papers of Mary Harris (Stewart Harris'
wife), 1954- 1976
13 Undated letters from Mary Harris
14 Letters from children at boarding school, 1968-June 1969
15 Letters from children at boarding school, July 1969-1971
16 Letters from children at boarding school, 1972-74
17 Letters to children whilst in Europe on holiday with wife, 1980;
miscellaneous family letters
18 Harris children school reports
19-20 Papers relating to 15 Dampier Crescent, Forrest, A.C.T. property
21 Papers relating to 25 Mugga Way, Red Hill, A.C.T. property
22 Architectural plans and drawings of Mugga Way property
3. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE AND PAPERS, 1944-94
During his lifetime Harris was a frequent letter writer. Correspondents
represented in this Series include friends and associates such
as Conant Broadribb, Rupert Clarke and Sir Keith Murdoch. Also
filed in this sequence is a letter of introduction written on
behalf of Stewart Harris to Sir Dallas Brooks from Robert Giles.
Folders
1 Letters to Harris, 1944-52
2 Letters to Harris, 1953-59
3 Undated early correspondence
4 Correspondence regarding retirement pensions
5 Correspondence concerning Mr Sekander Hayat, an illegal immigrant to
Australia, 1989
6 Letters to Harris, 1993-94
7 Miscellaneous articles and journals collected by Harris
4. LONDON SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, 1945-46
Shortly after World War II Harris enrolled in correspondence classes
run by the London School of Journalism. In this Series are his
completed written exercises together with comments made by teachers.
Folder
1 Writing exercises and assessments
Between July 1947 and February 1948, Harris made a solo trip through
outback Australia, during which time he kept notes in diary form
of his impressions and activities. He worked in various jobs including
as a cook on a mustering camp at Banka, N.T., as a station hand
at Dalmally, Qld, as a labourer in a Mackay sugar mill and drove
tractors and assisted as a harvest hand on a wheat farm at Watchupgai
in the Mallee district of Victoria.
A short sequence of articles and correspondence relating to his
Australian experiences, principally written on return to England,
is contained in Series 6. Other photographs
documenting Harris' travels in Australia are filed in Series 24.
Folders
1 Four notebooks and photographs, including portrait of Harris as a
stockman
2 Notes relating to properties visited in Northern Australia
On his return to England Harris commenced work as a broker at
Lloyds of London. At the same time he began broadcasting and writing
about Australia, particularly on the topic of northern development,
using research notes he had collected whilst in the country. After
leaving Lloyds he gained employment as a freelance reporter, writing
for various papers, including The Express, The Listener, The
Observer, Sport & Country magazine, Overseas, a
journal of the Over-Seas League, as well as recording talks for
the BBC 'Topic For Tonight' segment. In 1949 he took up a position
as a Fleet Street journalist on the Yorkshire Post and
visited Germany as special correspondent to report on the postwar
economy. In the next year he was employed for a short period by
The Times as subeditor in the Special Supplements Department.
Photographs taken by Harris documenting German postwar reconstruction
are filed in Series 24.
Folders
1 Correspondence, 1947-50
2 Undated correspondence; letters about Northern Australian development
3 Typescript manuscripts of articles written as a freelance reporter,
including speech drafted for Lord Bruce, March 1949 regarding
British meat supplies
4 Typescript manuscripts about Australia
5 Background notes used in Australian articles, including: statistics
relating to British meat position pre and post World War II;
photographs of the construction of the Lawson Syphon, Edward River
Region, N.S.W. to accompany immigration articles; Northern Territory
regulations under the Crown Lands Ordinance, 1931-39
6 Reports of Royal Commissions concerning: Northern Territory
development, 1934; extension of the Great Northern Railway to
Camooweal, 1936; Queensland abattoirs and meatworks, 1945
7 Background papers and publications relating to land settlement and
the cattle industry in Northern Australia
8 Clippings of published freelance articles, ca. 1948-49
9 Articles published in Overseas and Sport & Country, 1948-49
10 Transcripts of broadcasts made for BBC 'Topic For Tonight' segment,
1948-51
11 The Yorkshire Post clippings, 1949-50
In 1951 Harris was invited by Sir Keith Murdoch to come to Australia
to write editorials and feature articles for The Herald
group of newspapers. He reported on events in the United
States for two months on the way to Sydney, before becoming leader
writer for The Courier Mail where he wrote on the introduction
of Santa Gertrudis cattle to Australia. He corresponded with Robert
Kleberg, the developer of the breed and reported on his property,
King Ranch, in Texas. After eighteen months Harris transferred
to work as a special writer for the Sydney Morning Herald
touring the Australian continent. During this period Harris also
continued to contribute occasional pieces to The Times
in London.
Before his return to England in 1953, Harris acted for one term
as a resident master at Cranbrook School in Sydney. The last leg
of his journey was completed overland from Colombo to Teheran,
via Ceylon, India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, including
the militarised Caspian Sea zone about which Harris wrote for
The Age in 1956.
Additional photographs depicting Santa Gertrudis cattle at both
King Ranch, Texas and King Ranch, Queensland are filed in Series
24.
Folders/Volumes
1 Correspondence with publishers, 1951-54
2 Press clippings, 1951-56 from Sunday Mail, Courier Mail, The
Telegraph, The Age, The Advertiser
3 Leaders for the Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail, 1952
4 Letters and documentation relating to Associated Stations
Proprietary Ltd, Australian home of Santa Gertrudis cattle
5 Correspondence with Robert Kleberg and notes relating to the first
auction sale of Santa Gertrudis cattle in Australia
6 Articles and notes relating to King Ranch and Santa Gertrudis cattle
7 Notes made by Stewart Harris during visits to farming districts in
N.S.W.
8 Sydney Morning Herald clippings, 1953 and photographs of sawmilling
operations Byron Bay and Port Macquarie regions, N.S.W.
9 The Cranbrookian, v. 34, no.2, December 1953
10-11 Writings and photographs relating to Ceylon-England trip, 1953
8. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, THE TIMES, IN AUSTRALIA,
1955-73
In 1955 Harris rejoined The Times as an assistant to its
Australian staff correspondent in Melbourne, Roy Curthoys, succeeding
the latter when he retired in the following year. During this
period Harris maintained an ongoing correspondence with his editors
in London, including frequent depatches, cables, and contributions
to the paper's Obituary Department, for which he continued to
write pieces after his retirement. In June 1956 Harris was part
of the press contingent that observed a British nuclear test at
Maralinga.
Correspondence in this series is principally with representatives
of The Times, and includes long sequences exhanged with
Foreign News Editor John Buist, his successor Jerome Caminada,
and Obituary Department Editor Colin Watson. Amongst the smaller
body of unofficial correspondence is a 1966 letter from Arthur
Calwell in which he briefly reflects upon his political convictions.
Correspondence and cables relating to articles submitted to The
Times whilst Harris worked for the Herald group in
Australia in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and notes produced
when employed for The Times as sub-editor in the Special
Supplements Department for a short period in November 1950 are
filed in Series 6 and 7.
Despatches, photographs and notes pertaining to his assignments
as The Times special foreign correspondent in Vietnam,
Egypt and Southeast Asia are filed in Series 9.
Folders
1 Documents regarding Harris' employment with The Times
2 Correspondence and cables, 1954-55
3 Correspondence and cables, 1956-57
4 Correspondence and cables, 1958
5 Correspondence and cables, 1959
6 Correspondence and cables, 1960
7 Correspondence and cables, 1961
8 Correspondence and cables, 1962
9 Correspondence and cables, 1963; The 1963 A.N. Smith Memorial
Lecture in Journalism delivered by Stewart Harris entitled
Independent Editors : Are They Really Necessary?
10 Correspondence and cables, 1964
11 Correspondence and cables, 1965
12 Correspondence and cables, 1966
13 Correspondence and cables, Jan.-Mar., 1967
14 Correspondence and cables, Apr.-Dec., 1967
15 Correspondence and cables, 1968
16 Correspondence and cables, 1969
17 Correspondence and cables, 1970
18 Correspondence and cables, 1971-72
19 Correspondence and cables, 1973-74
20 Correspondence pertaining to Harris' retirement from The Times, 1973
21 Clippings, 1948-51
22 Contributions to Festival Of Britain Supplement, 1951
23 Clippings, 1952-55
24 Scrapbook of clippings, 1955-56
25 Scrapbook of clippings, 1956-63
26 Scrapbook of clippings, 1963-73
27 Clippings, 1964-74
28 Undated clippings
29 Government press releases, official press information folder and
manuscript of Harris' cable to The Times about the Maralinga atomic
test, 1956
30-31 Contributions to supplements on Australia, 1964-74, including
pieces published in the Washington Post and Illustrated London News
32-33 Draft obituaries of prominent Australians, 1983-91
34 The Times special surveys: The Office Equipment Industry in Britain,
1950; Come to Britain, 1951; British Industries Fair, 1951;
British Motor Car Industry, 1952
35 The Times House Journal, 1951, 1955, 1966-67; Times News, 1967,
1972-74; miscellaneous publications about The Times and British
publishing
36 The Times Australian Bicentenary Commemorative Issue, 1988
Whilst employed with The Times, Harris was engaged on a
number of occasions to act as a special correspondent to report
on regional events. He was assigned the post of the paper's special
war correspondent in Vietnam between 1967 and 1968 and reported
from Egypt during the six day war in 1967. As special correspondent
in Southeast Asia, he provided coverage from Thailand and New
Zealand and from Indonesia in 1968, 1973-74. In 1968 Harris was
the first foreign journalist allowed into Irian Jaya.
Folders
Vietnam
1 Notebook, despatches, press pass, clippings, including articles also
contributed to The Canberra Times
2 Photographs
3 Maps
Egypt
4 Notebook, despatches, photographs
Southeast Asia
5 Clippings, map, notes concerning Indonesia
6 Photographs, maps, small amount of correspondence relating to Irian
Jaya
10. SPRINGBOK TOUR OF AUSTRALIA, 1971
In 1971 the South African Springbok rugby union team toured Australia,
provoking anti-apartheid demonstrations and clashes throughout
the country. Harris was arrested whilst reporting for The Times
at a demonstration at Norwood Oval in Adelaide, but was subsequently
acquitted on the two charges of resisting police and of resisting
arrest. He later published Political Football, an analysis
of the tour, including a description of an alleged assault against
Brian Tovey, a demonstrator at a Springbok's match in Toowoomba's
Gold Park.
An ABC interview with Harris, recorded after the court judgment
on his arrest, is preserved in the Oral History Collection.
Folders/Pieces
1 Correspondence regarding Springbok tour
2 Papers concerning arrest of Harris and subsequent court case
3 Cables to The Times
4-7 Newspaper clippings about the tour
8 Anti-tour circulars, brochures, notes
9 Correspondence and articles relating to Political Football and Tovey
vs Davey case
10 Draft notes and typescript manuscript material regarding Political
Football
11-13 Typescript drafts of Political Football
11. THIS OUR LAND (1972)
In 1972 ANU Press published Harris' second book, a commentary
on contemporary Aboriginal affairs entitled This Our Land.
The same year had seen the beginnings of widespread Aboriginal
activism in Australia which Harris documented in the text.
Folders
1 Correspondence relating to This Our Land, 1972-78
2 Typescript of This Our Land
3 Cables to The Times, notes, extracts from Hansard used in preparation
of This Our Land
4 Press clippings used as background material for This Our Land
5-8 Published and unpublished papers used in preparation of This Our
Land
9-10 Extracts from journals used in preparation of This Our Land
11 Press releases and publications used in preparation of This Our Land
12 Publicity posters for This Our Land
13 Reviews of This Our Land
In 1973 Harris was appointed as a research fellow specialising
in Aboriginal affairs at the Research School of Pacific Studies,
Australian National University, Canberra. During his tenure he
kept a sequence of detailed diaries and travelled widely in Northern
and Central Australia. A manuscript by Harris entitled One
People, a narrative of Aboriginal society and activism in
Australia, which partly drew on experiences encountered during
his tenure, was unable to find a publisher.
The correspondence in this series includes letters from Bill Day,
Ian Viner, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (1975-78) and other
ANU academics.
Tape and cassette recordings of talks given by Aboriginal leaders
at a series of seminars organised by Harris in 1974 are held in
the National Library's Oral History Collection.
Folders
1-7 Diaries, 1973-76
8-14 Diaries recording trip to Northern Australia, ca. 1974
15 Correspondence, 1972-73
16 Correspondence and notes for Charles Perkins Seminar, Australian
National University, 7 March 1974
17 Correspondence, 1974-75, including notes on tapes and transcripts
of seminars given by Aboriginal leaders at the ANU in 1974. Speakers
recorded were: Charles Perkins, Shirley Smith, Gordon Briscoe, Gary
Foley, Harry Penrith, Jim Lester, Wandjuk Marika
18 Correspondence, Jan.-July 1976
19 Correspondence, Aug. 1976-May 1977
20 Correspondence, June 1977-Nov. 1978
21 Correspondence with Chatto, Bodley Head & Jonathan Cape publishers;
address books; typescript of One People
22 Typescripts of One People
23-24 Papers, articles written and collected whilst at ANU
25 Miscellaneous notes and information collected during tenure
26 Bunji, 1973-79
13. NORTHERN LAND COUNCIL, 1977-78
Harris gained employment as a public relations adviser for the
Northern Land Council for three months in late 1977 and early
1978 where his duties including speechwriting and preparation
of articles on land rights issues.
Folders
1 Correspondence and notes, 1977-78
2 Photographs of Northern Land Council members, 1977 and of Chairman,
Galarrwuy Yunupingu; list of consultants to the Northern Land
Council; notes made by Stewart Harris on a visit to Peppimenarti,
N.T. and draft of article written for The Bulletin; minutes of Land
Council meeting, November 16-17, 1977?
3-5 Published and unpublished papers collected whilst working for the
Northern Land Council
6 Newspaper clippings and journal extracts collected whilst working
for the Northern Land Council
7 The Bulletin, Dec. 1977, Sept. 1978
8 Land Rights News, July 1977-July 1978
Harris was an early supporter of the Makarrata, or Aboriginal
treaty, and an original member of the Aboriginal Treaty Committee.
His neighbour, the poet Judith Wright, was also a member. In 1979
the Committee published a monograph by Harris on the treaty movement,
entitled It's Coming Yet.
Folders/Pieces
1 Correspondence and notes, 1978-1991, including letters from Malcolm
Fraser and Gough Whitlam
2 Notes and correspondence exchanged with Judith Wright, 1980-1993;
minutes of meeting of Central Land Council, June 1988
3 Agendas and minutes of Aboriginal Treaty Committee meetings,
March 1979?-June 1980
4 Agendas and minutes of Aboriginal Treaty Committee meetings,
July 1980-April 1983
5-7 Published and unpublished papers relating to the Aboriginal treaty
8-9 Press clippings relating to the Aboriginal treaty
10 Brochures, publicity material relating to the Aboriginal treaty
movement
11 Treaty News, v. 1, no. 1, 1981; Aboriginal Treaty Committee
Newsletter, May-Oct. 1980
12 Miscellaneous journal issues, including: National Aboriginal
Conference Newsletter, Nov. 1980-June 1981; Bunji, May 1981-Nov.
1983
13 Miscellaneous journal issues, including: Identity, Oct. 1980-Jan.
1981
14 Aboriginal Treaty News, 1981-83
15 Senate Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs.
Reference : Legal Feasibility of Makarrata (Official Hansard Report),
22 June 1982; The Impact of Environment and Lifestyle on Human
Health, 1977
16 Correspondence and reviews relating to It's Coming Yet
17 Typescripts of It's Coming Yet
18-19 Photographs and slides used in It's Coming Yet
20 Publicity poster for It's Coming Yet
Outside his formal appointments to Aboriginal research positions,
Harris maintained an active interest in indigineous affairs for
over twenty years. He developed a correspondence with activists,
including Kevin Gilbert and Bobbie Sykes, and amassed a large
body of publications on the subject. Amongst his endeavours, he
gave support in the early 1970s to Mrs Estelle Bertossi in her
campaign for the release of her stepbrother, Richard Martin, an
Australian Aborigine who had received a life sentence for murder
following a street brawl in Brisbane in 1959.
A cassette recording and transcript of the proceedings of the
Aboriginal Cape York Land Council Conference, 16-28 April, 1994
are housed in the Oral History Collection.
Folders/Pieces
1 General correspondence, 1979-1993 including letters to the
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW) and Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Chairman of
the Northern Land Council
2 Correspondence with Kevin Gilbert and Bobbi Sykes, 1973-74
3 Correspondence, notes, press clippings, 1973-74 concerning article
by Harris about H.C. Coombs and his interest in Aboriginal issues,
published in Reader's Digest, September 1974 together with a copy of
the article
4 Correspondence and press clippings relating to the Richard Martin
case, 1973-77
5 Manuscript of Brother Jim by Jack Gallaway and associated
correspondence
6 Correspondence, notes and reviews relating to Bunji by Bill Day
7 Typescript of Bunji by Bill Day
8 Proceedings of FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation's 1994 Indigenous Rights
Conference, Brisbane and private report on meeting outcomes by
Judith Wright
9 Photographs, including: demonstrations at Aboriginal Embassy,
Canberra 1972, 1977, 1982; portraits of National Aboriginal Council
members Roy Nichols, Pastor Ossie Cruse, Patrick Malone, Evia Geia,
1981
10 Miscellaneous press releases issued by Canberra Aboriginal Mission,
Organisation For Aboriginal Unity, National Aboriginal Conference
and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, 1974, 1985-86
11-18 Press clippings concerning Aboriginal rights issues, ca. 1975-88
19 Newspaper clippings on Aboriginal rights issues
20-24 Published and unpublished papers and articles relating to the
Aboriginal rights movement, including an open letter to ALP Caucus
members prepared by the Northern Central and Tiwi Land Councils,
March 1985
25-28 Land Rights News, 1977-79, 1982, 1985, 1987-89
29 Miscellaneous issues of journals, including: Black News, Sept. 1973;
Land Rights Alert, April 1985; The Yirrkalian, ca. 1974; Aboriginal
Medical Service Newsletter, Sept.-Oct. 1980; Kimberley Land Council
Newsletter, Aug. 1979, April 1980, Sept. 1986; NQ Messagestick,
Sept. 1980; Bunji, June 1980, 1982
30 Miscellaneous issues of journals, including: Aboriginal Newsletter,
1985-86; Identity, Winter 1981; Chain Reaction, Aug.-Sept. 1980;
Central Australian Land Rights News, May 1980
31 Miscellaneous issues of journals, including: ALP Lobby, Jan.-Feb.
1979; Time and Energy, June 1978; Aboriginal Law Bulletin, 1985-85;
Messagestick, 1986; Australian Society, March 1988, Jan.-Feb. 1991;
Australian Aboriginal Studies, 1984
32 Miscellaneous issues of journals, including Monthly Bulletin of the
Queensland Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres
Islanders, Sept. 1973; Amnesty International Queensland Section
Newsletter, Sept. 1973; Aboriginal Human Relations Newsletter, May
1974; Aboriginal and Islander Identity, July 1977 and nos 3, 6,7, 9,
1978; C.A.R.E. Canberra Monthly Newsletter, Aug. 1977
33-34 Brochures, pamphlets relating to the Aboriginal rights movement and
Aboriginal issues
35 Poster produced in support of the Noonkanbah campaign
Publications
36 Aboriginal Land Rights Commission : Second Report, April 1974
37 Aboriginal Past : Australia's Future, 1984
38 Australian Aboriginal Culture, 1973
39 Aborigines of Australia, 1970
40 Borroloola Land Claim : Report to the Minister for Aboriginal
Affairs and to the Minister for the Northern Territory, 1978
41 Economic Development of Aboriginal Communities in the Northern
Territory, 1980
42 [Extracts from the Queensland Government Gazette regarding the
Aboriginals Preservation Acts, 1939-46], 1956-61
43 Far Western Region New South Wales, 1974
44 Four Stories About Aboriginal Australians in Queensland, 1973
45 The Future of the Australian Aboriginal, 1972
46 Government Expenditure on Aboriginal Programs, 1985-86
47 Land claim by Alyawarra and Kaititja, 1979
48 The Land, the People : a Submission by the Aboriginal Development
Commission to the Western Australia Aboriginal Land Inquiry, 1983
49 Listen to the Aborigines, 1973
50 The Mission and Peppimenarti : an Economic Study of Two Daly River
Aboriginal Communities, 1985
51 National Trachoma & Eye Health Program of the Royal Australian
College of Ophthalmologists, 1980
52 The North-West of Western Australia, 1959
53 Northern Territory of Australia. Ordinance to Provide for the
Training and Employment of Wards, 1953
54 Official Hansard Report of the House of Representatives Standing
Committee on Aboriginal Affairs (Reference: Aboriginal Health),
26 September 1978
55 A People's History of Portland and District. Section 1 : The
Aborigines, 1975
56 The Port Keats Story, 1973
57 Progress Towards Assimilation : Aboriginal Welfare in the Northern
Territory, 1960
58 Proposal for Amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act to Cover
Incitement to Racial Hatred and Racial Defamation, 1984
59 Queensland. The Aboriginals Preservation and Protection Acts,
1939-46
60 The Queensland Aborigines Act and Regulations, 1971
61 The Queensland Acts : Australia's Apartheid Laws?, 1979
62 Ranger Uranium Project Agreement Under Section 44 of the Aboriginal
Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976 Between the Commonwealth
of Australia and the Northern Land Council
63 The Story of Tasmanian Aboriginals, 1970
64 Submission by Northern Land Council to the Aboriginal Land
Commissioner on the Borrolooola Region Land Claim, Sept. 1977
65 Submission by Northern Land Council to the Joint Select Committee on
Aboriginal Land Rights in the Northern Territory, Part 1, 1977
66 Taxation of Mining Industry Profits, 1977
16. FOREIGN AFFAIRS RESEARCH SPECIALIST, PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY,
1978-80
In 1978 Harris was appointed as a researcher in the Parliamentary
Library, but resigned in March 1980 over a dispute with the Parliamentary
Librarian, Harold Weir. The grievance was raised in Parliament
and Harris subsequently sued Weir for defamation. Documented in
this series are correspondence, clippings and extracts from Hansard
relating to the dispute.
Folders
1 Correspondence; memoranda by Harris to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and President of the Senate
2 Address book
3 Background briefing paper prepared by Harris on Afghanistan
4 Background briefing papers prepared by Harris on human rights in
Australia, racial conflict and discrimination in South Africa and
Australia, and the Lebanese conflict
5 Daily Hansard, House of Representatives and Senate, 15 April 1980;
Daily Hansard, Senate, 23 April 1980
6 Press cuttings; background information
17. SENIOR EDITORIAL WRITER, THE CANBERRA TIMES, 1980-84
Between 1980 and 1984 Harris was employed by The Canberra Times
as a leader and feature writer. A number of his articles written
in support of the Builders' Labourers' Federation were published
as a collection in 1982.
Folders
1 Correspondence and clippings; The BLF : a personal view, 1982
2-3 Clippings
Following his retirement as a reporter, Harris continued to write
articles on a freelance basis and gained employment on contract
as an interviewer for the National Library of Australia's oral
history program. In addition, in the late 1980s, Harris undertook
contract work for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research (ACIAR), preparing articles for Australian and international
journals and papers on issues of importance to the Centre, including
answering international criticism against eucalyptus plantings.
In this period he pursued a number of other interests including
involvement in the peace movement.
Other papers relating to the discovery of Eucalyptus recurva
on Half Moon Farm are filed in Series 23.
Folders
1 Correspondence, 1986-92
2 Correspondence, 1993-94
3 Correspondence, 1992-94 and 1974 article about Francis James,
Australian journalist and prisoner of the Chinese
4 Typescripts
5 Newspaper clippings
6 Journal articles, including pieces for the ANU Reporter, 1985 and
Australian Society, 1989-90
7 Journal and other articles, 1992-93
8 Letters, notes, prepared whilst contracted to ACIAR; ACIAR annual
report, 1987/88
9 Articles, notes regarding international eucalypt plantings and
discovery of Eucalyptus recurva
10 Brochures, pamphlets collected relating to the peace movement
11 Southern Africa Support Campaign in Australia poster headed 'March 21
is Sharpeville Day', published 1985
12 News & Fair Facts : the Australian Print Media Industry, 1992
In 1984 a delegation of influential Australians from cultural,
academic, press and local government backgrounds was invited on
a two week tour of the People's Republic of China. The visit was
coordinated by the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship
with Foreign Countries (YOUXIE) in association with the Australia-China
Friendship Society. Harris was included in the delegation as the
A.C.T. representative and whilst in Peking made contact with the
local office of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.
Folders
1 Correspondence, notes, clippings, maps, brochures
2 Photographs
3 Background reading on the topics of China and nuclear proliferation:
Working Paper (Australian National University. Strategic and Defence
Studies Centre) nos. 4, 17, 32, 41, 50, 51, 61, 72 and Canberra
Papers on Strategy and Defence, no. 26
20. PALESTINIAN DISPUTE
After reporting for The Times on the Israel-Arab conflict
in 1967 Harris maintained an interest in Middle-Eastern affairs
and became an advocate of Australian recognition of the Palestinian
Liberation Organisation. Included in this series are speeches
of, and correspondence with, Ali Kazak, PLO Representative for
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
Additional papers relating to contact made with the Peking office
of the PLO is contained in Series 19.
Folders
1 Correspondence; address by Kazak to the National Press Club, 18
February 1987
2 Typescript drafts of articles
3 Articles relating to Palestinian dispute
4 Articles relating to Palestinian dispute and PLO-Chinese relations
21. AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR OVERSEAS AID, 1987-88
In May 1987 Harris took up a twelve month part time position as
Information Officer for the Australian Council for Overseas Aid,
where he oversaw production of ACFOA News and the ACFOA
Development Dossier.
Folders
1 Correspondence; list of ACFOA campaign supporters; typescript of
paper on African aid issues
2 Newspaper clippings and articles
In 1963 the Harris and his wife purchased a 2264 acre cattle property,
known as Half Moon Farm, located in the hills near Mongarlowe,
in southeast New South Wales. The property was run as a hobby
farm where the Harris family spent their weekends and holidays.
Following protracted negotiations the property was declared a
wildlife refuge in 1968, and in 1981 a rare eucalypt, Eucalyptus
recurva, was discovered there. Included in this Series are
correspondence concerning mining rights and subdivision proposals,
as well as documentation relating to the restoration of a stone
inn situated on the property. In 1984, following the sale of their
Mugga Way home, the Harrises retired to a former Anglican rectory,
situated in Wilson Street, Braidwood, and used some of the garden
space to develop a nursery which opened to the public in 1993.
Articles written on the topic of the discovery of Eucalyptus
recurva have been filed in Series 18.
Folders
1 8 small notebooks, ca. 1964-1988 relating to Half Moon Farm
2-6 Correspondence regarding Half Moon Farm, 1963-87
7 Legal and financial documents pertaining to Half Moon Farm
8 Photographs, including: Half Moon Farm; Mongarlowe gold diggings;
Eucalyptus recurva
9 Title survey and subdivision maps of Half Moon Farm
10 Miscellaneous papers, including Welcome Reef Environmental Study
and material regarding Half Moon Wildlife Refuge
11-12 Auction brochure and title plans relating to Wilson Street property;
advertising pamphlet for The Braidwood Nursery
In 1969 Harris completed writing a children's book entitled All
Alone At Half Moon, which was loosely based on his children's
adventures on the family cattle property. Despite submission of
the manuscript to publishers over a number of years, the work
was never published. A shortened version of the story was printed
as 'The Harrises of Half Moon' in Reader's Digest in October
1974.
Folders/Pieces
1 Correspondence with publishers, 1969-86
2-6 Typescript drafts of All Alone At Half Moon
7 Typescript of 'The Harrises of Half Moon', together with version
published in Reader's Digest, Oct. 1974
In this Series are filed albums containing photographs documenting
the early period in Harris' life, up until his return to England
in 1953. Other photographs relating to specific aspects of Harris'
career and interests are filed in Series 2,
5, 6, 7,
9, 14, 15,
19, 22, 25.
Folders
1 Pictures of: Harris, family and friends; Cambridge University;
golfing activities; war training and service; walking trip through
Scotland, English scenes; skiing holiday in Switzerland, ca. 1950
2 Photographs documenting German postwar reconstruction, including
pictures taken in Geneva, Paris, Central Europe; King Ranch, Texas
and Santa Gertrudis cattle; New York, San Franciso scenes; King
Ranch, Risdon and first sale of Santa Gertrudis cattle in Australia;
journey by ship to Australia
3-4 Scenes taken when Harris worked in outback Australia, 1947-48 and
whilst working as a reporter in the country in the early 1950s
Stewart Harris acted as executor of his close friend Madan Nagrath's
estate after the latter's death in April 1994. An Australian government
journalist, Madan Nagrath was the only original Asian-born supporter
of Dr Coombs' Aboriginal Treaty Committee. He and his wife Dorothy
had been friends of the Harrises for almost thirty years. Dorothy
Nagrath, who died in 1986, was a pioneer Australian speech therapist
who had met her husband whilst working in Bombay in the early
1960s.
Folders/Pieces
1 Diary, 1994; account book, 1992-93 of Madan Nagrath
2 Address books of Dorothy and Madan Nagrath
3 Marriage certificate; photographs of Dorothy and Madan Nagrath and
Mobie Genaboro, beneficiary of their wills; patient record and death
certificate of Dorothy Nagrath; correspondence and obituaries
concerning the death of Dorothy Nagrath; miscelleneous articles and
papers by Dorothy Nagrath
4 Folder containing papers documenting the life of Madan Nagrath and
order of service used at his funeral; letter from Madan to Dorothy
Nagrath written shortly after her death
5 Manuscript of Madan Nagrath's semi-autobiographical novel Alienation
Box Series Folders/Pieces
1 1 1-5
2 1-2
2 2 3-9
3 2 10-16
4 2 17-21
3 1-2
5 3 3-7
4 1
5 1-2
6 6 1-8
7 6 9-11
7 1-4
8 7 5-11
8 1-2
9 8 3-8
10 8 9-15
11 8 16-22
12 8 23, 27-31
13 8 32-35
9 1-3
14 9 4-6
10 1-5
15 10 6-12
16 10 13
11 1-6
17 11 7-13
18 12 1-5
19 12 6-11
20 12 12-19
21 12 20-21
22 12 22
23 12 23-26
13 1-4
24 13 5-8
14 1-4
25 14 5-12
26 14 13-17
27 14 18-20
15 1-4
28 15 5-10
29 15 11-18
30 15 19-25
31 15 26-33
32 15 34-45
33 15 46-66
16 1-2
34 16 3-6
17 1-3
35 18 1-8
36 18 9-10, 12
19 1-3
37 20 1-4
21 1-2
22 1
38 22 2-8
39 22 9-12
40 23 1-7
41 24 1-2
42 24 3-4
43 25 1-5
Folio box 1 2 22
8 24
8 36
18 11
Folio box 2 8 25
Folio box 3 8 26
Audio Tapes
(transferred to Oral History Unit, March 1996)
1. General interviews, broadcasts
Tapes
11 BASF tapes in grey plastic containers - content unknown - numbered
30,32,34,35,37,38,39,40,41,42 and one unnumbered
2 BASF reels entitled 'ABC news & political meeting' - date unknown
1 BASF reel in Red Seal container entitled 'This Our Land'
1 Kodak reel in Red Seal container comprising ABC news, stockmarket
reports, 'PM' radio program and parliamentary recordings
1 Sony reel in white box containing ABC interview with Stewart Harris
after court judgment on his arrest during South African Springbok
rugby tour, 1971
1 reel in Scotch box containing TDT (This Day Tonight) recording - no
date
1 reel in white box containing recording of National Aboriginal
Consultative Committee member Bruce McGuinness speaking on self
determination and reply by Jim Cavanagh, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
2 reels in RCA boxes containing recording of solo round the world
yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester speaking in Sydney
Cassettes
1 Sony cassette containing recording of speech by Stewart Harris on
Aboriginal rights, ANU Convocation Luncheon, 17 May 1978
7 cassettes - numbered 'Tape 32', 'Tape 33', 'Tape 33 & 34', 'Tape 34,
35', 'Tape 35 & 36', 'Tape 36' and one unnumbered
4 cassettes in plastic bag - two entitled 'This Our Land'
2. Aboriginal Leaders Speaking at the Australian National
University, 1974
A series of lectures convened by Stewart Harris and attended by
government ministers, diplomats, senior public servants and academics.
1 tape reel in Ampex cover containing lectures by Wandjuk Marika and
Jim Lester, 12.7.74 + transcript
1 tape reel in Sony cover containing lectures by Gary Foley and Harry
Penrith, 2.4.74 + transcript
2 tape reels in Sony covers containing lecture by Charles Perkins,
7.3.74 + transcript
2 tape reels in Sony covers containing lectures by Gordon Briscoe and
Shirley Smith, 26.3.74 + transcript
3. Aboriginal Cape York Land Council Conference, 26-28 April
1994
1 cassette containing record of meeting between Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Authority and traditional owners to discuss joint
management of the reef + transcript
Guide compiled March 1996. Last Updated July 1996
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