VPRS 5415 Registers of Inwards and Outwards Correspondence [also known as Inwards and Outwards Letter Books]

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.For inwards correspondence, these instructions specified that unless the item was marked to be returned, it should be endorsed, after registration, with the date and the name of the writer, and numbered with a current number (to be recorded also in the register) and filed in consecutive order, a short prcis of the subject matter having been first endorsed therein.The Instructions also 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.Inwards registers recorded the date of receipt, from whom, the date and subject of the letter and how the letter was disposed of (ie dealt with).Outwards registers recorded the date of despatch, to whom sent, subject detail and postage costs.

向法院书记员发布的系列指令明确要求，需按照指定格式留存收、发函件及其他往来文书的登记簿。1939年版指令发布后，此类登记簿被称为函件簿（Letter Books）。针对收文，该指令规定：除非函件标注需退回，否则需在登记后加注日期与发件人姓名，赋予当前流水号（该流水号亦需同步登记至登记簿内），并按连续顺序归档；归档前需先在函件上批注简要的事由摘要。该指令同时明确，对于重要事项（该术语未作明确定义），发文副本需登记至（发文）函件登记簿。至1939年，该条款经修订后要求：所有发文均需登记至发文函件簿，且重要事项的发文副本需留存于办公场所。收文登记簿需记录收件日期、发件方、函件日期与事由，以及函件的处理方式（即处置情况）；发文登记簿则需记录发件日期、收件方、事由详情及邮资成本。