Legal & Reference

OIA Request Templates for Investigation

Ready-to-file requests for NZSIS, Archives NZ, Immigration, Companies Office, Law Society

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Official Information Act Request Templates

K.W. Schmidt Nazi Network Investigation

Prepared by: Manus AI Date: 30 December 2024 Purpose: To obtain official records relating to the pre-war Nazi network operating in New Zealand through Empire Tung Oil Products Ltd and associated individuals

Request 1: NZSIS - K.W. Schmidt Complete File

To: New Zealand Security Intelligence Service Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - K.W. Schmidt and Empire Tung Oil Products Ltd (1937-1950)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to all records held by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service relating to:

Kurt Wilhelm Schmidt (K.W. Schmidt) - German national investigated in 1937 for connections to the Nazi Auslands Organisation
Empire Tung Oil Products Ltd - Australian-registered company operating in New Zealand, subject of SECRET police investigation (File Reference: 37/10/5)
Any follow-up investigations conducted between 1937 and 1950 regarding Schmidt's activities, whereabouts, or associates

Specifically, I am seeking:

Complete contents of file 37/10/5 beyond the 11 pages already declassified
Any correspondence with MI5 (Sir Vernon Kell) regarding Schmidt
Records of Schmidt's internment status during WWII (if applicable)
Post-war disposition records for Schmidt
Any connections identified between Schmidt and other German nationals in New Zealand

I note that the declassified file German-37-10-05.pdf contains only partial records. I am requesting any additional materials that may exist.

I request that fees be waived in the public interest, as this research relates to historical accountability for Nazi activities in New Zealand.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 2: Archives New Zealand - Crawford Young Records

To: Archives New Zealand Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - W. Crawford Young, Solicitor (1930s-1950s)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to all records relating to:

W. Crawford Young - New Zealand attorney who served as legal representative for Empire Tung Oil Products Ltd in the 1930s
Any professional disciplinary records held by the New Zealand Law Society relating to Crawford Young
Company registration records for any entities where Crawford Young served as director, shareholder, or legal representative

Specifically, I am seeking:

Law Society membership records for W. Crawford Young
Any complaints or investigations relating to his professional conduct
Records of his travel to Australia (particularly voyages on RMS Niagara)
Any post-war records relating to his practice or associates

I am particularly interested in any connections between Crawford Young and German nationals or German-owned companies operating in New Zealand during the 1930s and 1940s.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 3: Department of Internal Affairs - Internment Records

To: Department of Internal Affairs Email: info@dia.govt.nz Subject: OIA Request - German Internee Records, Somes Island and Pahiatua (1939-1945)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to:

Complete list of German nationals interned on Matiu/Somes Island and at Pahiatua during World War II (1939-1945)
Individual internment records for any person named Schmidt, Schmitt, or similar variants
Records of German nationals who were NOT interned and the reasons for their exemption
Post-war release and disposition records for German internees

I am conducting historical research into the fate of German nationals who were under security investigation prior to WWII, specifically those connected to the Nazi Auslands Organisation.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 4: Immigration New Zealand - Historical Arrivals

To: Immigration New Zealand Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - European Immigration Records (1945-1955)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to:

Immigration records for European arrivals to New Zealand between 1945 and 1955, specifically those arriving from:

- Germany

- Austria

- Italy

- Via South American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile)

- Via Vatican City or Rome

Records of the Displaced Persons scheme selection process, including:

- Selection criteria used

- Any security screening procedures

- Records of individuals rejected and reasons

Naturalization records for German-born individuals who became New Zealand citizens between 1945 and 1960

I am particularly interested in arrivals who settled in the Hawke's Bay region (Napier, Hastings, Norsewood).

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 5: Births, Deaths and Marriages - Oldershaw Records

To: Department of Internal Affairs - Births, Deaths and Marriages Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - Oldershaw Family Records

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to:

Birth certificate for Ashley Oldershaw (claimed birth year approximately 1929)
Marriage records for any Oldershaw family members in Hawke's Bay region (1940-1970)
Death records for any Oldershaw family members
Immigration or naturalization records for any Oldershaw arriving in New Zealand between 1940 and 1960

I am conducting genealogical research to verify family history claims.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 6: Companies Office - Empire Tung Oil and Successor Companies

To: Companies Office, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - Historical Company Records

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to:

Company registration records for Empire Tung Oil Products Ltd (if registered in New Zealand)
Records of any successor companies or related entities registered between 1937 and 1960 involving:

- Tung oil production or trade

- German directors or shareholders

- W. Crawford Young as director or legal representative

Historical company records for any entities registered in Hawke's Bay region between 1945 and 1960 with German-born directors

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Request 7: New Zealand Law Society - Historical Records

To: New Zealand Law Society Email: [email protected] Subject: OIA Request - Historical Practitioner Records

Dear Sir/Madam,

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request access to:

Admission records for solicitors admitted to practice in Hawke's Bay between 1940 and 1960
Disciplinary records for any practitioners in the Napier/Hastings region during this period
Records relating to the firm Oldershaw & Sutherland, Emerson Street, Napier
Any records relating to W. Crawford Young

I am conducting historical research into the legal profession in Hawke's Bay.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Guidance Notes

Filing the Requests

Timeframe: Agencies have 20 working days to respond (may be extended)
Fees: Request fee waiver citing public interest; if refused, fees typically NZ$38/hour after first hour
Refusals: Can be appealed to the Ombudsman
Redactions: Agencies may redact personal information; request reasons for any redactions

Key Reference Numbers

| Document | Reference | Source |

|----------|-----------|--------|

| K.W. Schmidt file | 37/10/5 | NZSIS Declassified |

| German Club membership | 37/10/15 | NZSIS Declassified |

| Detective Stevenson reports | 37/10/08, 37/10/20 | NZSIS Declassified |

| MI5 correspondence | 37/10/17 | NZSIS Declassified |

Priority Order

Highest Priority: NZSIS Schmidt complete file (Request 1)
High Priority: Internment records (Request 3)
Medium Priority: Immigration records (Request 4)
Supporting: All others

Appendix: Key Individuals to Search

|------|------|--------|-------|

These templates are provided for historical research purposes. Requesters should modify as appropriate for their specific needs.