VPRS 12076 Registers of Prosecutions

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 (S50) and to ensure continuity of administration of the function.The National Security (Prices) Regulations 1939 gave the Commonwealth Government the power to prosecute those who charged prices higher than those mandated by the State Deputy Prices Commissioner with prosecutions being made in Courts of Petty Sessions. The State Government had similar powers under the Prices Regulation Act 1948. These volumes provide a summary record of all the prosecutions in Victoria for offences against prices legislation from 1940 until 1954. The record brings together the information which may otherwise be found in the Court of Petty Sessions Commonwealth Registers (until 1948) and Court of Petty Sessions Registers (after 1948) for individual courts.Each entry gives the date of the hearing, name of the Court and of the presiding Magistrate, the Prices Branch file number; the name and address of the defendant, the Act or Regulation which had been contravened, the charge, the details of the penalty inflicted by the court and any costs awarded, the number of the warrant and the date of payment (of penalties). The final section is headed Forfeitures, Instalments, Remarks etc and contains details of any appeals made against a conviction and / or details of how penalties and costs were paid.