The normal channel for communications intended for the Governor personally or as distinct from the administration was through the Private Secretary; the subject matter of the letters in this series therefore does not differ greatly from that of the second part of GO39, except insofar as some letters are personal or semi-personal to or are intended for the Private Secretary himself. Petitions seeking the Governor's interference, invitations soliciting his patronage, acceptances for Government House functions and letters relating to the ceremonial and social aspects of his duties make up the bulk of the series. The correspondence is registered from 1882 to 1907 in GO51; some of the corresponding outward letters may be found in GO52, and from 1878 to 1902 many such letters are registered in GO57.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives