New Zealand Defence Force Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) Files: Reports of UFOs (AIR 39/3/3 Volume 4)

This document is a compilation of files from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) regarding Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), specifically Volume 4 of file AIR 39/3/3, covering the period from 1981 to 1984. The file contains correspondence between the Ministry of Defence, the Office of the Ombudsman, and various UFO research groups, including the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) and the Illawarra Astronomical Society. A significant portion of the correspondence involves requests for information under the Official Information Act, particularly regarding the 1978-1979 Kaikoura sightings and other historical reports from the 1950s. The Ministry of Defence consistently maintains that the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is not required to investigate or collate UFO reports as a matter of course. The Ministry argues that such reports are often attributable to natural phenomena, such as meteorological balloons, planets, or stars, and that the resources required for formal investigations are not justified by the 1983 Defence Review. The document highlights the Ministry's commitment to protecting the privacy of individuals who made historical reports, such as the case of 'Mrs. F. Moreland' from 1959, whose identity the Ministry refused to disclose despite requests from researchers. The file also includes internal minutes and transit directions, illustrating the administrative process of handling these inquiries and the Ministry's policy of referring reports to other government agencies like the Police, the Ministry of Transport, and the DSIR when necessary. The correspondence reflects a tension between researchers seeking detailed data for scientific purposes and the Ministry's stance that such information is either non-existent, confidential, or not a priority for national security.