VPRS 10252 General Correspondence Files, Annual Single Number System

Rationing and Prices were originally a function of the Commonwealth Government as part of its defence responsibilities with State Deputy Prices Commissioners being appointed for each State under the National Security (Prices) Regulations 1939. This function, after a referendum, became one for the individual states in 1948. The Victorian Government passed the Prices Regulation Act 1948 to both control prices during the period of post-war readjustment and control the progressive removal of price control. A Minister in Charge of Prices was appointed from 1950 to 1955. Under the Act, Commonwealth officers could continue to be employed by the State for the purposes of the Act (section 50) and to ensure continuity of administration of the function.Files in this series deal with the development and modification of pricing policy for specific commodities, records pertaining to investigations, correspondence with large companies and businesses with regard to price enquiries and requests for changes in pricing and general files dealing with matters to do with the administration of the Branch. Some files contain papers from the period when the Commonwealth administered the function.

配给与物价管控最初属于英联邦政府的职能范畴，作为其国防职责的组成部分；根据1939年《国家安全（物价）条例》（National Security (Prices) Regulations 1939），各州均任命了州副物价专员。经全民公投后，该职能于1948年下放至各州政府。维多利亚州政府于1948年颁布《物价管制法案》（Prices Regulation Act 1948），旨在对战后调整时期的物价实施管控，并逐步推进物价管制措施的取消工作。1950年至1955年间，州政府任命了专职物价主管部长。根据该法案第50条规定，英联邦官员可继续受雇于州政府以执行法案相关职能，确保该管理职能的连续性。本系列档案涵盖特定商品定价政策的制定与调整、相关调查记录、与大型企业就物价问询及调价申请往来的函件，以及涉及该部门行政管理的综合档案。部分档案还包含英联邦政府行使该职能时期的相关文件。