Large, hard-bound diary; typewritten entries
The diaries described as Confidential Diary, contain the following instructions, typed affixed to some of the diaries:
"The Inspector General wishes Officers Commanding Divisions will be so good as to keep personal diaries in duplicate carbon books, and to post the copy to him, confidentially, every day. He himself has been doing this with the High Commissioner and it is found to save a great deal of trouble and correspondence. He recommends Officers Commanding Divisions to adopt a similar course with their sub-divisional or district Officers. The Diary should show chiefly important questions that crop up and in what manner they are settled, suggestions, general points of progress, movements, special orders issued, notes on health, horses, crime, casualties, points from subordinates' diaries, etc., etc. The diary is easily kept by keeping a notebook going during the day and writing it up in the Diary at night. In this way the High Commissioner is kept duly informed of everything that is going on throughout the Corps, a great deal of Official cross-correspondence is saved, and at the same time, if filed, a useful record is kept that can be referred back to at any time. Signed: By Order, J.S. Nicholson, Colonel, Chief Staff Officer, South African Constabulary
"The Inspector General wishes Officers Commanding Divisions will be so good as to keep personal diaries in duplicate carbon books, and to post the copy to him, confidentially, every day. He himself has been doing this with the High Commissioner and it is found to save a great deal of trouble and correspondence. He recommends Officers Commanding Divisions to adopt a similar course with their sub-divisional or district Officers. The Diary should show chiefly important questions that crop up and in what manner they are settled, suggestions, general points of progress, movements, special orders issued, notes on health, horses, crime, casualties, points from subordinates' diaries, etc., etc. The diary is easily kept by keeping a notebook going during the day and writing it up in the Diary at night. In this way the High Commissioner is kept duly informed of everything that is going on throughout the Corps, a great deal of Official cross-correspondence is saved, and at the same time, if filed, a useful record is kept that can be referred back to at any time. Signed: By Order, J.S. Nicholson, Colonel, Chief Staff Officer, South African Constabulary