VPRS 986 Register of Deputations

The Public Works Department (VA 669) had wide-ranging responsibilities for all public works and buildings, including construction, maintenance and fitting out of these buildings. Other major responsibilities included roads and bridges, ports and harbours, local government and water supply. Following the transfer of the responsibility for roads and bridges to the Roads and Bridges Branch in 1877, the Department assumed responsibility for the administration of the Local Government Act 1863.This series contains records of the deputations received by the Commissioner of Public Works or the Minister of Public Works from representatives of the community and interested groups. Deputations, introduced by local Members of Parliament, were often seeking provision of certain types of public buildings in their localities, the allocation of funds for the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges or the adjustment of municipal boundaries.Details, recorded across a double page, included the names of the deputation members, the details of arrangements, the object of the deputation and a summary of the result being the Commissioners or Ministers response. Some records have annotations of the numbers of correspondence received or regarding the decision ultimately made and source of funding to satisfy the request made.VPRS 986/P was reserialised in 2001 as part of the ARAD Project. The former units 10 -15 are now serialised as VPRS 12686/P1 units 1-6.