VPRS 4651 Unregistered Papers, Reports and Correspondence

This series consist of papers, reports and correspondence received by the Premier's Office (VA 672) but not registered and hence not incorporated into that agency's central registry filing system (VPRS 1163).Included in this series are items relating to subjects such as civil defence, oil exploration, standardisation of railway gauges, relations between Victoria and other states and between Victoria and the Commonwealth. Various agreements and leases are also included.'Constitutional Documents' (P2 consignment)This consignment comprises a number of signed/sealed Letters Patent as granted by the Governor. Most of these items relate to the Colony of Victoria's participation in the Federal Council of Australasia/National Australasian Convention. Six of the items are commissions enabling Members of Parliament to represent the colony whilst another petitions the Convention to conduct an investigation and report on the best means of exterminating rabbits.The one non Council/Convention document in this consignment is an 1892 letter commissioning the Attorney-General William Shiels to attend and preside at meetings of the Executive Council in the place of the Governor.The contents of this consignment were located in a file marked `Constitutional Documents' in the Commonwealth - State Relations Branch of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in March 1994. This followed publication of a claim in The Age newspaper on 1 March that a copy of the Commonwealth Constitution was rotting away within the Department. Also found in the file was one of several copies of the draft bill to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia as adopted by the Australasian Federal Convention on 16 March 1898. The draft Bill, signed by the Convention President and Clerk, was forwarded to Victoria under the provisions of the Australasian Federation Enabling Act 1896. The Bill formed part of the Premier's Office registry file P98/927 and was accordingly placed with the remaining extant portion of that file in VPRS 1163/P unit 417.