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VPRS 45 Draft Letter Books - Outwards Correspondence [1846 - 1851]; Inwards Correspondence Register [1850 - 1851]; Minute Book, Finance Branch [1853 - 1854]
No full textThe volumes in this series primarily contain drafts of the outwards correspondence of the Superintendent of the Port Phillip District. The sixth volume contains a number of other series recorded in this volume after its use as a draft latter book had ceased.<br/><br/>Drafts contained in this series are for both letters which were sent (and which may be seen in final form in VPRS 16 Outward Registered Correspondence) and for others which were not proceeded with. Those which were sent have recorded with them the registered number assigned, whilst for those not sent there is no registered number or it has been excised. For most pieces of correspondence an indication is given of the addressee, the date and an outline of the substance of the content. When the piece of correspondence had been dealt with it was crossed through or annotated with the word "Entered". Draft correspondence in the first volume is divided into sections for that designated for Sydney and that designated for Local. This reflects the arrangement of the volumes in VPRS 16.<br/><br/>A small portion of the sixth volume contains the Inward Correspondence Register for correspondence received from W Thomas and E S Parker pertaining to the management of aboriginal affairs. Correspondence registered may be seen in VPRS 2893 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District from W Thomas Guardian of Aborigines and E S Parker Assistant Protector of Aborigines. Details given are the number of the piece of correspondence, the date, the name and location of the sender, the date of the correspondence, the subject, the action officer and the date of the response.<br/><br/>Another portion of the volume is given over to the Minute Book, Finance Branch (of the Colonial Secretary's Office). Minutes were most often annotations on correspondence forwarded to another official and then returned to the office. Registered with date and number are minutes from such officials as the Colonial Secretary, the Lieutenant-Governor and the Chief Commissioner of the Goldfields dealing with such matters as queries with respect to financing and notification of appointments to offices made. Details are given of how the minute was to be acted upon.<br/><br/>This volume was also used to record details of Inwards Correspondence Pending in the Colonial Secretary's Office (1853) with details of the date, the Branch, the number, the name of the correspondent and the particulars of the letter and the reason why it was kept pending. Another series records Copies of Requisitions made by the office (1853 - 1857) for office requisites and supplies and for the performance of minor maintenance works.<br/><br/>Details for 1853 to 1854 are given for the work flow in the office with details of the despatch of replies by register number in relation to the original registered number of the correspondence
VPRS 11964 Committee Minutes
No full textThis series contains the minutes of a number of committees.<br /> <br /> The committee system is employed by most Victorian councils. A committee may be appointed by a council for any purpose which it is felt would be better regulated and managed by such committee. A committee may be either a standing committee or an occasional committee. Standing committees (in areas such as finance, public works, health, etc.) are appointed to oversee specific matters on a continuing basis. Such committees submit reports to the council regularly and these are included in the Council Minutes. Occasional committees are appointed for shorter terms to manage such things as arrangements for ceremonial occasions. Membership of committees is made up of some or all of the councillors of the municipality.<br /> <br /> The Municipal Institutions Act 1863 (No.184) introduced provisions that required councils to appoint committees and specified that committee minutes should be kept and signed by the chairman at the following meeting. The Local Government Act 1874 (No.506) included the requirement that committees report to council. (No prohibition existed against councils operating with committees prior to these acts.) The Local Government Act 1903 (No.1893) removed the requirement that minutes be kept and added the requirement that committees reports to council be included in the council minutes. Subsequent legislation including the Local Government Act 1958 (No.6299) has continued these requirements.<br /> <br /> The minutes generally record the names of councillors who attended the meeting, details of agenda items and decisions made. Once the minutes have been confirmed as correct at the following committee meeting, they are signed or certified by the mayor or chairman of the meeting
VPRS 12125 Subsidiary Cash Book, Record of Summaries of Receipt of Payments
No full text<br/>This record was used as a subsidiary cash book for all day to day receipts and expenditure that were withdrawn or deposited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Entries in this record were subsequently recorded in VPRS 11326 Cash Books: Revenue (Consolidated Revenue Fund) and VPRS 11330 Cash Books: Expenditure (Consolidated Revenue Fund).<br/><br/>The record has details of the date and number of payment, and the amount received or expended, as well as providing ongoing daily balances
VPRS 13148 Register of Applications, Sale, Section 49 Land Act 1869 (Sale District Survey Office)
No full textVPRS 13148/P1 Register of Applications, Sale, Section 49 Land Act 1869 (Sale District Survey Office) was created by the District Survey Office at Sale.<br/><br/>VPRS 13148/P1 was previously registered as Unit 21 of VPRS 450/P Applications Registers, Land Act 1869 Section 49.<br/><br/>The introduction of the Land Act 1869 saw all Crown land, not previously occupied in Victoria opened up for selection. Provisions were made in section 42 of the Land Act 1865 for selection before survey. Prior to this time surveys were conducted on all Crown land before it was made available. The provision of free selection before survey was carried to the 1869 Act. The aim of the legislation was to encourage settlement on lands that would be most advantageous to the colony.<br/><br/>Under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 selectors could apply for a licence to occupy and cultivate auriferous (gold field) land. The licence was for one year and the size of the land occupied was not to exceed 20 acres. The licence was renewable each year with the payment of a licence fee. A selector could not hold more than one licence under section 49 of the Land Act 1869.<br/><br/>The additional advantages provided to selectors as a result of the Land Act 1869 resulted in an exceptional number of applications to select Crown land. By 1873 the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) was experiencing many problems in managing applications. Public complaints were at an all time high. The complaints ranged from extraordinarily long delays in application processing, applications being approved for more than one person on the same allotment and long delays in replying to correspondence.<br/><br/>When an application to select Crown land was received by the Department it would be registered in a register of applications. Prior to 1874 and the establishment of the Occupation Branch all applications made under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same series of registers irrespective of location; see VPRS 13128/P1. The contents of registers of applications were arranged alphabetically and application numbers were allocated consecutively in blocks for each letter of the alphabet.<br/><br/>Separate registers of applications were usually created for each section of the Land Act under which individuals could apply to select land. For example, all applications received under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same register. Sections of an Act that were less common were often recorded in the one register.<br/><br/>In an attempt to try and rationalise the way the Department managed Crown land, the Occupation Branch was established in 1874 under the influence of H Byron Moore, Assistant Surveyor General. The Occupation Branch was to deal with all matters relating to the occupation of Crown land.<br/><br/>The State was divided into fifteen Land Districts, these being Ararat, Ballarat, Beechworth, Benalla, Castlemaine and Dunolly, Echuca, Geelong Warrnambool and Camperdown, Hamilton, Horsham, Melbourne, Sale and Bairnsdale, Sandhurst (Bendigo), Seymour and St Arnaud. Each District was represented at the Occupation Branch in Melbourne by a 'District Land Office'.<br/><br/>Each District Land Office consisted of a double table or desk at which both a clerk and draughtsman sat. Everything in the way of files, maps and plans were at convenient reach. The same officers dealt with the sale of Crown land from its 'inception to its disposition'. The District Offices' staff consisted essentially of a clerical officer and a draughtsman who dealt solely with that Land District. It was their business to know the District and to deal with all land business related to it. By 1877 each District Land Office, consisted of a District Officer, a rental clerk, a draughtsman and several general clerks.<br/><br/>After the establishment of the Occupation Branch in 1874 and the division of the State into Land Districts, applications were registered by District. Each 'District Land Office' created and maintained their own series of registers of applications. Any new applications received by the Department after 1874 were registered in separate District registers with applications numbers that were allocated from the number one onwards. The same application number could be allocated for selections in different Districts. For example the application number 1021/49 could exist in both the Ballarat and Bendigo Land Districts, it is the District name plus the accompanying file number that is the unique identifier.<br/><br/>Applicants completed an 'Application for Licence under Part II of Land Act 1869' form at District Survey Offices. Most Land Districts had a District Survey Office. The District Surveyor would enter the applicants' details in a register of applications kept at the District Survey Office. The register of applications allocated a number to each applicant. The application number was written on the application to select and subsequently became their land selection file number if their application was approved.<br/><br/>The District Surveyor would enter into the register of applications the application number, the date the application was received, the applicants' name, occupation and parish, the allotment number and size (acres, roods and perches) applied for. The application was then forwarded to the appropriate District Land Office at the Occupation Branch in Melbourne. It was then entered in a duplicate register of applications there against the same application number. The District Surveyor also forwarded a tracing of the allotment applied for.<br/><br/>The position of the allotment applied for was immediately charted on a working plan in pencil. The tracing was then sent to the Department of Mines and Water Supply (VA 2720) for a report on any mining objections. If there were no mining objections the application would be heard before a Local Land Board. Local Land Boards were made up of representatives from the local community and the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538). The Boards would hear from all applicants for an allotment and would decide who was to be granted the licence or lease. The schedule documenting the decisions of the Local Land Board was forwarded to the appropriate District Land Office at the Occupation Branch and the decision was entered into the register of applications<br/><br/>The Board of Land and Works (VA 744), the statutory authority for the management of Crown land would give final approval for land selection, acting on the recommendation of the Local Land Board. The decision of the Board of Lands and Works (VA 744) was then recorded in the register of applications. The registers also record the date of the licence issue and any subsequent action in relation to that file. The selectors granted each allotment would then be recorded on the working plan by the District Land Office draughtsman at the Occupation Branch. The tracing of the allotment was then sent to the Crown Land Bailiff responsible for that Land District.<br/><br/>After the creation of the Occupation Branch, applications made under the Land Act 1869 that had been registered prior to 1874 were copied to District Indexes that were separate from registers created for new applications received. These District Indexes that recorded pre 1874 applications are arranged alphabetically but the application numbers are not consecutive. An Index for the Sale District in not in the custody of PROV as at September 2002.<br/><br/>The new registers of applications were arranged by Land District and by section of Land Act applications were received under. For example, all applications received under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 for the Ballarat Land District were recorded in the same series of registers. Sections of an Act that were less common were often recorded in the one District register.<br/><br/>Registers of applications control selection and occupation files. If an application to select Crown land was successful, the application number would become the file number. For example if an application to select under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 was registered as application number 324 then the selection or occupation file number would be 324/49.<br/><br/>The application number remained the selection file number for a particular piece of land if all terms and conditions were met and the selection resulted in a Crown Grant. However, often the original selector did not end up owning the land. Many selectors forfeited or abandoned their licence. If this were the case then the land was re-opened up for selection. Any new applicants were registered in a register of applications under a new application number. The original applicants file would be attached to the new selectors file. The new file number was annotated in the register against the original selectors' entry.<br/><br/>Even if the same selector applied for a licence on land he had previously forfeited a new application number would be allocated and the file would have a new selection file number
VPRS 7613 Subject Card Index to General Correspondence Files, Multiple Number System I
No full textSubject Card Index to General Correspondence Files, Multiple Number System
VPRS 13876 Property Management Files
No full textThis Series comprises files, including drawings, relating to State Electricity Commission of Victoria properties in the Latrobe Valley. Files contain land title documentation, comprising copies of titles, title plans and lease details, copies of rate and tariff notices, land grants, title plans, valuation reports and some preliminary environmental site assessment reports
VPRS 3382 Swan Hill Arrest Registers
No full text<br/>Successive Justices' Acts and, more recently, Magistrates' Court Acts have required the clerk or registrar of the court to make and keep a register of all convictions, orders and other proceedings of the court. This register is the authoritative record of the court.<br/><br/>In the twentieth century many courts, particularly larger ones, maintained several sequences of registers according to different types of matters dealt with by the court. Typically, separate registers were maintained according to the means by which the defendant was brought to court. Police or Arrest Registers record details of criminal cases where the defendant was arrested by the police and brought by them to court. The other main mechanism for bringing defendants to court was by summons.<br/><br/>Police/Arrest Registers are generally in the same format as all other Petty Sessions Registers, giving details of the case number, the name of the prosecutor or informant, the name of the accused or defendant, how the case came to the court (in all cases this would state "arrest"), the fees or court costs accrued, a description of the charge, cause or proceeding, the decision or order and any remarks. The column for remarks was often used to record the payment of fines and fees. In order to authenticate entries made in the register the presiding officer(s) of the court signed the register at the end of each day
VPRS 5288 Court of Petty Sessions Cause List Book (1882-1888); Court of Petty Sessions Registers (1888-1967)
No full textCourts of Petty Sessions (now known as Magistrates' Courts) dealt with a very large range of "minor" court matters. Cases were heard in three jurisdictions: criminal, civil, and licensing. In the nineteenth century they provided the lowest level of redress in civil and criminal matters. The County Court and the Supreme Court heard and determined more serious criminal cases and larger civil disputes. The licensing jurisdiction included both liquor and non-liquor licensing matters until 1886 when separate liquor Licensing Courts were established.<br/><br/>Successive Justices Acts required clerks of Petty Sessions to keep a record of all decisions and orders made by Courts of Petty Sessions. This record is the authoritative record of the court. Until about 1888, volumes used for this purpose were called Cause List Books (a cause meaning a case). Most Courts of Petty Sessions dealt with criminal, civil and licensing matters as they arose. Accordingly, Cause List Books generally give details of all these types of cases. Only the largest and busiest courts recorded civil, criminal and licensing matters separately.<br/><br/>Cause List Books are generally in a common format. At the top of each page are recorded details of the name of the court, the date of sitting and the name of the Chairman of the court and other presiding officer(s). For each case heard, details are given of the name of the complainant, defendant, any fees to be paid, the cause (ie the criminal charge or the nature of the civil claim), the decision and any remarks. The remarks column was sometimes used to record the payment of fines or fees. In order to authenticate entries made in the Cause List Book the presiding officer(s) of the court signed it at the end of each day
VPRS 14538 Allotments Granted under the Closer and Discharged Soldiers Settlement Acts
No full textThis series lists allotments granted on estates acquired for settlement under either the Closer Settlement Act or the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act. Details given are the date of the allocation, the name of the person to whom the allotment was allocated, the estate, the allotment and section within the estate as well as the parish and the area of the allotment and the capital value placed on the allotment