NRS-14498 | Minute books [Vice Admiralty Court]

Rule 192 of the Rules and Regulations of 1883 (which came into force on 1 January 1884) provided that "There shall be kept in the registry a book, to be called the minute book, in which the registrar shall enter in order of date, under the head of each action, and on a page numbered with the number of the action, a record of the commencement of the action, of all appearances entered, all documents issued or filed, all acts done, and all orders and decrees of the court, whether made by the judge, or by the registrar, or by consent of the parties in the action". The Minute books replaced both the Assignation books and the Action books which were no longer required as Court records with the change in procedures as outlined in the Rules and Regulations of 1883. These volumes provide a minute of all proceedings for each case heard in the Vice Admiralty Court from the date the writ of summons (which instituted the action) was issued to the final decree of the Court. However, many of the entries appear to be incomplete. The final volume, 4/7606, also contains a few entries of cases in the Supreme Court in its Admiralty Jurisdiction. 7/3866 part, 4/7605-06). 3 vols (part). Note: This description is extracted from Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.