VPRS 3991 Inward Registered Correspondence II

This series consists of inward correspondence received by the Chief Secretary's Department. The contents of the series derive from the nature of the functional responsibility of the office. In 1855 the central role of the Colonial Secretary had passed to the Chief Secretary whose department co-ordinated, in addition to the departmental branches, a wide variety of other agencies not specifically assigned to other Ministers. The Department also co-ordinated the policy of government and acted as a channel of communication between departments. As departmental and ministerial arrangements were formalised during the second half of the nineteenth century, other ministerial departments came to act more independently. Chief Secretary's remained, however, the principal omnibus department and its Minister was head of government exclusively until 1874. See text for VRG 26 and VA 475 in the Summary Guide 1990 for a more detailed explanation of the role and functional responsibilities of this office.For the period covered by this correspondence series the Chief Secretary was responsible for the following functions:- Aborigines 1855-1856 and 1860-1968- Agriculture 1855-1872 and Animal Protection to 1979- Cemeteries 1888-1890- Census, Statistics and Registration Functions to 1979- Education 1855-1873- Elections 1855-1979- Health 1855-1944, including Mental Health- Labour and Industry to 1916- Libraries and Galleries 1855-1972/3, Museums 1855-1976- Liquor and Theatre Licensing- Police and Emergency Services 1855-1979- Prisons and Social Welfare 1855-1970- Royal Botanic Gardens and Herbarium- Sport, Recreation, Racing and Gaming to 1972- Government Shorthand Writers to 1979- Land Tax to 1884- Royal Melbourne Zoo to 1973Grants-in-Aid and fund for the maintenance of Deserted ChildrenThe Chief Secretary's Department itself administered "Grants in Aid" to Botanical Gardens, Agricultural Societies, Municipal Councils, Benevolent Asylums and Hospitals, Scientific bodies, e.g. Board of Science, Geological Surveyor, Magnetic Survey, etc., and "Miscellaneous Services", e.g. maintenance of deserted children.The institutions receiving "Grants in aid" corresponded with the Chief Secretary who supervised the distribution of grants, and required regular returns of expenses.A special fund for the Maintenance of Deserted Children was administered by the Chief Secretary who delegated the practical responsibility to the Police Department.BACKGROUND : COLONIAL/CHIEF SECRETARYS REGISTRY BRANCHAll correspondence received and sent by the Chief Secretary's Department was registered and maintained by a central registry. The 1859 Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into and report upon the Civil Service of the Colony notes the importance of the work of the Registry Branch "...in a department whose business is so varied.....the careful preservation and ready production of papers is the foundation of the proper transaction of the whole of the business".The course of business in the Branch is described briefly in the Report:"All correspondence is opened by the Under Secretary, and at once passed to the Registry, where each letter is perused by the Chief Clerk, who marks thereon what previous papers are required to make the subject complete and directs precedents to be looked up if necessary - it is then endorsed with a short but clear precis of its contents, entered in the General Register and numbered, the numbers of all previous papers on the subject being also noted in the Register. The papers are then sent to the Under Secretary or to the branch whose duty it would be to deal with them."The Registry Branch was under the control of the highest paid chief clerk, and the highest paid clerks. The Report went on to note:"The officer in charge of this branch is the Custodian of the Public Records, and is the general referee of the department, he possesses a thorough knowledge of the entire business of the office and in the event of the sickness or absence of the Under Secretary, is the next officer of the department "The work of the two assistant clerks is described:"The first of these compiles an elaborate index of all letters received, attends to letters referred out, has charge of a certain portion of the records, keeps the postage account, and makes out requisitions for supplies. The other is the Register Clerk who enters and numbers all inward papers in the General Register, keeps the register of letters referred from other departments [ie.]... the Blank Cover Reference Book, has the care of the other portion of the records of the office, and attends to letters referred outward."System of Arrangement/ControlEach inward letter was, on receipt and registration given a distinctive number for identification. This consisted of an annual single number, that is a sequential number prefixed by the last two figures of the year, with the numbering sequence recommencing at 1 at the start of each year. Thus the one-hundred and twenty-third item received in 1865 was given the number 65/123. The inward correspondence appears to have been arranged in annual single number order within subject classifications in pigeon-hole cabinets/presses. [Note: the correspondence for the years 1877 - 1880 was re-arranged into straight annual single number order by archivists of the State Library, Archives Division].The annual single number was allocated from Registers (VPRS 3993), which record the name and location of sender, date of receipt, precis of letter, the subject classification, and sometimes the date answered. The registers also note the registration number of related outward correspondence. The correspondence was indexed alphabetically by general subject and by surname of " persons", the index also recording a precis of the letter, date received, and the registration number, see VPRS 1411.Before being sent to action officers correspondence would be folded lengthways and placed within a blank page (or "docket") on which a precis of the letter, the registration number was noted. When all action was completed and the letter or file was to be put away, the subject abbreviation under which the correspondence was to be filed was also noted on the docket. Minutes and memos referring the correspondence between action officers are also noted on the docket in accordance with the Regulations of Official Correspondence of 1851, no.12.DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLONIAL/CHIEF SECRETARYS REGISTRY SYSTEMThis system was a continuation of the previous registry system used by the office of the Superintendent of Port Phillip. The internal administration of the new Colonial Secretary's Office largely followed that of the previous administration, and resulted in the continuation of the same record-keeping system, and occasionally, of the same records. In July 1851, with the establishment of the new office a new annual single number was commenced and a new index book was begun. However correspondence was registered in the same Register used for the previous sequence, a few pages were left blank and the new titles, "Colonial Secretary" and "Victoria" were written across the top of the page.With the increasing volume of correspondence being handled the task of registering and indexing grew apace. Perhaps as a solution to the problem alternate registers were introduced in 1852, identified within a year by an alpha symbol. It would seem that a register would be used for one day, and then indexed on the next while another register was in use. The registration number of the file now included the alpha symbol of the register, eg. 54 E/786 meaning the seven-hundred and eighty-sixth letter registered in volume E for 1854.TOP-NUMBERING OF INWARD CORRESPONDENCEThis meant the practice of grouping together items of inward correspondence that referred to the same transaction to create files. The method adopted was that of placing earlier correspondence under later ones. Thus if there were a later letter registered 65/725 on the same transaction as 65/123, that earlier letter would be filed with the later one and there would in fact be no correspondence filed under 65/123.The registration number of any subsequent correspondence is recorded in the far left hand column in the registers under the title "How Disposed Of". The registration number of the previous correspondence is marked in the far left hand column in red ink.SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONSIn conjunction with the device of top-numbering to aid speedy retrieval of correspondence, when the matter was closed and the file was officially "put away" it was allocated an abbreviated subject classification which would be written on the correspondence. The letters "p.a" (put away) are also found on most files.In the registers the subject abbreviation under which the correspondence has been filed is marked in the extreme right hand column, on the actual correspondence this is marked on the "docket". Top-numbered correspondence was filed according to the subject classification of the last letter.Some particular types of letters, eg. enquires about naturalisation, received number and letter symbols which suggests they were filed in a series of alphabetical pigeon holes.With the top-numbering of correspondence a constant re-arrangement of files within the pigeon-holes would have to occur as files were attached to each other and grew larger. By introducing a subject classification, a relatively fixed location within the pigeon-hole press could be allocated to each "subject" and bundles filed accordingly. Retrieval of correspondence files was made much easier.INTRODUCTION OF NEW SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONS IN 1864 AND PREVIOUS SERIESIn 1864 the use of subject classifications to arrange correspondence became more streamlined, broader classifications were introduced and variations/discrepancies reduced through the use of a "Guide to the Office Records" which listed individual subjects against the broader groups they were to be filed under. eg. letters from the Attorney General were now to be filed under "Govt. Depts", as would letters about Mines. Correspondence from banks, churches, and hospitals was now to be filed under "Public and Religious Bodies". The "Guide to the Office Records" is reproduced below :Guide to the Office Records for 1864 [from VPRS 3991/P, unit 36, file 64/J13226]Subject Filed UnderAcclimatisation Public and Religious BodiesAgency, The Home Government DepartmentsAgriculture, Board of Government DepartmentsAborigines Government DepartmentsAlpacas PastoralApplications for Employment Government DepartmentsAttorney-General Government DepartmentsAudit Office Government DepartmentsBanks Public and Religious BodiesBenches Internal AdministrationBoard for Aborigines Internal AdministrationBoard of Agriculture Government DepartmentsBoard of Education Government DepartmentsBoard of Health Government DepartmentsBoards, Road Internal AdministrationBonds Government DepartmentsBoroughs Internal AdministrationBotanical Government DepartmentsCemeteries Internal AdministrationChurches Public and Religious BodiesCivil Service Internal AdministrationCommissions Government DepartmentsCompanies Public and Religious BodiesConsuls Other GovernmentsCurator of Intestate Estates Government DepartmentsCustoms Government DepartmentsDefences Government DepartmentsDenominations, The various religions Public and Religious BodiesDeserted Children Internal AdministrationDog Act Internal AdministrationEducation Government DepartmentsElectoral Internal AdministrationEnquires PersonalEscorts PoliceEstimates Government DepartmentsFinancial Government DepartmentsFine Arts Commission Internal AdministrationGaols Internal AdministrationHospitals Public and Religious BodiesIndustrial Schools Government DepartmentsInquiries PersonalInstitutions, Charitable Public and Religious BodiesJudicial Government DepartmentsHealth, Board of Internal AdministrationLands and Survey Government DepartmentsLegislative Assembly ParliamentLegislative Council ParliamentLibrary, Public Government DepartmentsLicenses PersonalLunatic Asylums Lunatic AsylumsMagistrates Internal AdministrationMarkets Internal AdministrationMedical Government DepartmentsMedical Board Public and Religious BodiesMayors Internal AdministrationMilitary Government DepartmentsMines Government DepartmentsMint Government DepartmentsMunicipalities Internal AdministrationMuseum Government DepartmentsNaturalisation PersonalNaval Government DepartmentsNewspapers PersonalNew South Wales Other GovernmentsNew Zealand Other GovernmentsObservatory Government DepartmentsParliament ParliamentPatents PersonalPenal Department PrisonsPetitions PersonalPleuro Pneumonia PastoralPolice PolicePolice Reward Fund PolicePostal Government DepartmentsPounds Government DepartmentsPresbyterian Church Public and Religious BodiesPublic Works Government DepartmentsPublic Library Government DepartmentsQueensland Other GovernmentsReformatory Government DepartmentsRegistrar General Government DepartmentsReligious Bodies Public and Religious BodiesRemoval of Lunatics PoliceRoad Boards Internal AdministrationRoman Catholic Church Public and Religious BodiesRoyal Society Public and Religious BodiesRailways Government DepartmentsScab Prevention PastoralSchools, Industrial and Reformatory Government DepartmentsScientific Government DepartmentsSecretary of State Other GovernmentsSheriff PrisonsSocieties Public and Religious BodiesSouth Australia Other GovernmentsStorekeepers Government DepartmentsTasmania Government DepartmentsTrade and Customs Government DepartmentsTransfers of Lunatics PrisonsTransportation Question Internal AdministrationTownships Internal AdministrationTreasurer Government DepartmentsUniversity Internal AdministrationVictoria S.S Government DepartmentsVisiting Justices PrisonsWesleyan Church Public and Religious BodiesIt is believed that when the new system of classification was introduced the older material from 1851 to 1863 was re-arranged into the new subject classifications. Registers and correspondence for that period have had the earlier subject abbreviations crossed out and the new classifications imposed.The Records Description List for this series range lists correspondence registration numbers within the subject classifications for each year, except for the years 1877 - 1880 inclusive which were re-arranged into straight annual single number order by archivists of the State Library, Archives Division.SUBSEQUENT SERIESFrom 1884 correspondence was filed in straight annual single number order with no division into subject groupings. This correspondence is located in VPRS 3992.RELATED RECORDSLarge files which would not fit in the pigeon holes were filed in deep drawers in the same cabinets. These files can be located in VPRS 1226 Supplementary Inward Registered Correspondence. See also VPRS 1192 Petitions which were also filed separately because of their size.Outward registered correspondence is located in VPRS 1187.