Here at the John Kinder Theological Library, our wonderful archives volunteer, Lea Tovey, is currently processing and sorting the personal papers of Sir Paul Reeves, Archbishop of New Zealand from 1980 to 1985 then Governor-General of New Zealand from 1985 to 1990 (ref. KIN 91).
The scope of the collection ranges from his time as Governor-General of New Zealand to his constitution review work with Fiji and as leader of the Commonwealth Observer Group during the 1996 Presidential Elections in Ghana. A large part of the collection consists of correspondence. Sir Paul wrote to and received letters from people from all walks of life, ranging from school children to Bishops, Prime Ministers, the Royal Family, and personal friends.
Here is some correspondence he received as Governor-General from Queen Elizabeth II after two visits from the Monarch.
The first letter is dated 1986, with a covering letter from the Queen’s Secretary, Sir Philip Moore. (Above)
The second letter (below) is dated 1990, the year New Zealand hosted the Commonwealth Games and the sesquicentennial celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Queen spent two weeks here attending both events and in this letter she reflects on her time, expressing that “Being in New Zealand in 1990 was an experience and I hope it has been of some help sorting our problems and for the future.”
Video footage of Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Paul Reeves at Waitangi, 1990