11th February, 1925
CONFIDENTIAL
(Due to arrive Melbourne 14.3.25)
My dear P.M.,
SECRECY OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS
It has been pointed out to me that, whilst the secrecy of the majority of documents depends on their freshness and evaporates with time, there are others which are from their nature never to be divulged. In the latter category comes such a document as W.7., which I send in this envelope, a comprehensive summary of what measures the C.I.D. are taking to prepare for another war.
I was told the fact that quite a considerable personal correspondence goes on continually between the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy. This correspondence is private and the papers are the personal property of the Viceroy and, at his discretion, are taken away or destroyed by him, on his successor taking office.
Papers of importance sent out to you by me could, of course, at your discretion, be so treated. [1]
I am, Yours very truly, R. G. CASEY
_1 In a reply dated 1 May (on file AA:A1420) Bruce stated that he would exercise his own discretion as to which letters and papers went into official and which into personal files. Bruce wrote that when the time came to hand over to a successor he would again check his personal files for material more appropriately classed as official records. In the main, Bruce seems to have kept Casey’s letters in his personal file, placing enclosed documents in official files.
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