VPRS 1388 Register of Outwards Correspondence [also known as Outwards Letter Book]

Successive Instructions to Clerks of Courts specified the creation of Registers of letters and other communications, both inwards and outwards to be kept according to a specified format. By the issue of the 1939 Instructions, these registers were referred to as Letter Books.The Instructions specified that in cases of importance (a term which was not defined), copies of communications outwards should be written in the (outward) letter register. By 1939 this instruction had been refined to read that all outwards correspondence should be entered in the outward letter books and that copies of communications outwards should be kept in the Office for cases of importance.Outwards registers recorded the date of despatch, to whom sent, subject detail and postage costs.

法院书记员的历次工作指令明确要求设立收发文信件及其他往来公文登记簿，并需按照指定格式进行归档管理。1939年发布相关指令时，此类登记簿已被正式称为信函簿（Letter Books）。前述指令明确，对于重要事项（该术语未作明确定义），对外往来公文的副本需录入（对外）信函登记簿。至1939年，该指令经修订完善后规定：所有对外往来公文均需录入对外信函簿，且对外往来公文的副本需留存于办公场所，以供重要事务调取。对外登记簿需记录发件日期、收件方、事项概要及邮资费用。