Prime Ministers

Politicians were required, by the nature of their tasks, to send telegrams about a variety of activities and issues.

Some examples are shown below for:

Ben Chifley	Joseph Cook	John Curtin
Malcolm Fraser	Bob Hawke	Robert Menzies	Gough Whitlam

Ben Chifley.

Prime Minister 1945 - 1949.

Use of AW-DO-10Ab (46) at Richmond 19 November 1947.

Encouragement to convert securities into a new loan to help the Government overcome the debt problem caused by Australia's involvement in World War 2.

See also AW-DO-10Ab (46);

Joseph Cook.
Prime Minister: 24 June 1913 to 17 September 1914.

Official telegram (WI-DU-3A) to the Premier of Western Australia.
Date unknown.

John Curtin.

Prime Minister 1941 - 1945.

Telegram on form AB-GBF-39A with RO7 - P&TO Cottesloe of 4 October 1940 from Prime Minister John Curtin to his wife. The message reads:
"MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF TODAY YOUR MAGNIFICIENTLY [sic] PLAYED HALF CENTURY HAS GIVEN EXAMPLE AND COMFORT AND TO ME IS A CONSTANT URGE TO HOLD MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT YOUR LOVE AND COMPANIONSHIP IN LIFE STOP BLESSINGS FOR ALL THE YEARS AHEAD AND GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WE HAVE HAD YOUR LOVING HUSBAND JOHN".

There is an equally special telgram to his wife shown elsewhere sent in 1941.

Malcolm Fraser.

Prime Minister 1975 - 1983.

AT-DO-15B.

Message from PM Fraser and his wife to Miss Berry on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

A second telegram also expressing Birthday Greetings to Miss Berry from the Queen is included elsewhere.

Bob Hawke.

Prime Minister 1983 - 1991 -
the 23rd Prime Minister.

Hawke Born in Border Town, South Australia.

Attended the University of Western Australia folowed by University College at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

As part of his studies, he set the world record for downing a yard of ale in 11 seconds.

AT-DO-15Db.

A message from Mr Hawke to Mr and Mrs Watson congratulating them on their 50th wedding anniversary.

Harold Holt.
Prime Minister: January 1966 - December 1967.

Telegram AA-DO-13D with Canberra A.C.T. TELEGRAPHS short date line of 2 March 1967.
Holt's Government continued to dismantle the White Australia policy. The referendum referred to in the telegram was held in May 1967 with 90.77% of voters endorsing the issues of

the Federal Government to have the power to make special laws for indigenous Australians in the States;
to include all indigenous Australians in population counts.

Robert Menzies.

Prime Minister - 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966.

Menzies 1958
Telegram from Prime Minister Robert Menzies on form AA-DO-13B used at Chief Telegraph Office Hobart on 31 December 1958 (Diameter of date stamp: 30 mm; SDL - earliest use of this format).

Gough Whitlam.

Prime Minister 1972 - 1975.

Use of AA-DO-13D at St Agnes,South Australia on 17 January 1973.

Whitlam's first election to Office - after the "Its Time" campaign - was on 2 December 1972.

See also AA-DO-12Ca dated 13 April 1978 - the last day of attending Parliament as a Member of the House of Representatives.

Gough Whitlam when elected Prime Minister for his first term in 1972 - about the time of sending the telegram shown.