Reports on UFOs and Ethnology (AIR 39/3/3A Volume 1 - Parts 1 & 2)

This document is a declassified file (AIR 39/3/3A) from the New Zealand Defence Force, covering the period from 1979 to 1984. It consists primarily of correspondence between the New Zealand Defence Force (specifically the RNZAF Public Relations Office) and a Christchurch-based individual who claimed to be in contact with extraterrestrial 'personalities' or 'space boys'. The correspondent, who frequently refers to their belief system as the 'Ethology of Light', provides detailed, often cryptic accounts of sightings, 'space craft' operations, and complex, non-scientific theories regarding the nature of the universe, life, and death. The author of the letters claims to have been in contact with these entities since 1973, describing them as 'celestial' beings who operate craft that are not mechanical in the traditional sense but are instead composed of 'light' and 'water'. The letters contain numerous hand-drawn sketches of what the author identifies as space craft, 'star maps', and 'navigation charts'. The author frequently requests financial assistance from the government, specifically for a car or camera equipment, to better document these sightings. The official responses from the RNZAF, signed by Squadron Leader C.D. Cole and Sergeant P.W. Maitland, are polite but non-committal, acknowledging receipt of the letters and sketches while maintaining a professional distance. The file also includes internal administrative notes, such as transit forms and vetting records, indicating that the file was restricted for privacy reasons until 2043. The document provides a unique insight into the nature of civilian reports received by the New Zealand military during this period, highlighting the challenges faced by official bodies in managing correspondence that blends genuine interest in UAP with highly personal, non-standard belief systems.