VPRS 943 Blue Books and Statistics

Series comprises statistical returns from government departments. The contents of the series changes over time as the functions of the Victorian Government become more complex, reports are received from other sources (for example from the Treasurer and the Commissioner of Trade and Customs), and agricultural and manufacturing statistics become far more significant for the developing colony.At the commencement of the series in 1851 the series is known simply as Blue Books and consists of statistical returns from Government Departments for the benefit of the Colonial Office, the Governor, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly.Included are statistical returns for the following:- Taxes, duties, fees and other sources of revenue- Comparative yearly statements- Local revenues- Military expenditure- Public works- Legislation- Council and Assembly- Civil Establishment- Security for discharge of duties- Pensions- Recapitulation- Foreign Consuls- Population- Ecclesiastical Return- Education- Coins, Exchanges- Imports and Exports- Agriculture, Vineyards and Livestock- Manufactures- Grants of Land- Gaols and Prisons- Convictions- Criminals Executed- Postage- Litigation- Mortgages on Live stock- Mortgages on LandBy 1854 a return from charitable institutions had been added.By 1855 the series evolved into a report from the Registrar General to both Houses of Parliament and became known as Blue Book and Statistics. Reports regarding revenue were omitted as revenue reports were to be presented by the Treasurer. The Blue Book section of the report included a list of Governors and Ministries since responsible government in 1855, the members of the Executive Council, Legislative Council, Legislative Assembly, and foreign consuls. Far greater emphasis began to be placed on agricultural statistics. The Statistics section of the report included a statistical report of:- Population- Lunatics- Postage- Churches- Agriculture by County- Livestock on Purchased Land by County- Mills- Mines- Live Stock Slaughtered- Criminals Executed- Mortgages on Land- Preferable liens on wool- Litigation- ConvictionsBy 1869 the return included the Blue Book section as described above and the statistics had been refined to focus on population, finance, law crime, accumulation, production, vital statistics births, deaths, diseases, hospitals and statistics on religious moral and intellectual progress.By 1915 the series includes the Blue Book as described above. However by this stage the Blue Book also includes:- Chief officers of statutory bodies such as the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and the State Savings Bank of Victoria;- Officers not under the Public Service Commissioner from the Crown Law Department, Department of Public Works, Department of the Hospitals for the Insane, Railway department and Police Department.It does not list officers under the Public Service Board. These officers are listed in the Government Gazette.The statistics section focuses on :- Law, crime- Finance- Vital statistics (birth, death etc.)- Municipal statistics- Population- Accumulation- Social Conditions- Production

本数据集系列涵盖政府部门报送的统计报表。随着维多利亚州政府职能日趋复杂、新增来自其他渠道的报送材料（如财政部长与贸易及海关专员提交的报告），且农业与制造业统计对于这个发展中的殖民地而言重要性显著提升，本系列的内容也随之不断更新迭代。
1851年本系列初创时，仅以《蓝皮书》（Blue Books）为名，内容为各政府部门为殖民部（Colonial Office）、总督、立法委员会（Legislative Council）与立法议会（Legislative Assembly）报送的统计报表，供上述机构参阅。彼时包含以下类别的统计报表：
- 税收、关税、规费及其他收入来源
- 年度对比报表
- 地方财政收入
- 军事开支
- 公共工程
- 立法动态
- 立法委员会与立法议会事务
- 文职机构设置
- 履职保障
- 抚恤金发放
- 汇总统计
- 外国领事情况
- 人口状况
- 教会事务报表
- 教育情况
- 货币与汇兑
- 进出口贸易
- 农业、葡萄园与畜牧情况
- 制造业情况
- 土地划拨
- 看守所与监狱情况
- 定罪案件
- 死刑犯处决情况
- 邮政资费
- 诉讼案件
- 畜牧抵押
- 土地抵押
至1854年，新增了慈善机构的报送报表。
至1855年，本系列演变为民事登记署（Registrar General）提交给议会两院的报告，正式定名为《蓝皮书与统计汇编》。由于财政报告将由财政部长单独提交，因此本系列不再包含财政相关报表。报告的蓝皮书板块收录了1855年责任政府建立以来的历任总督与内阁成员、行政委员会（Executive Council）、立法委员会（Legislative Council）、立法议会（Legislative Assembly）成员以及外国领事名单，同时大幅强化了农业统计的内容占比。
报告的统计汇编部分则包含以下类别的统计报告：
- 人口状况
- 精神病患者情况
- 邮政资费
- 教会事务
- 分郡农业情况
- 分郡购地畜牧情况
- 磨坊运营情况
- 矿业情况
- 屠宰牲畜情况
- 死刑犯处决情况
- 土地抵押
- 羊毛优先留置权情况
- 诉讼案件
- 定罪案件
至1869年，报表已包含如前所述的蓝皮书板块，且统计内容进一步优化，聚焦于人口、财政、法律与犯罪、财富积累、生产、生命统计（出生、死亡、疾病、医院情况）以及宗教、道德与智力发展相关统计。
至1915年，本系列已包含如前所述的蓝皮书板块。此时的蓝皮书还新增了以下内容：
- 法定机构的主要负责人信息，如墨尔本及大都会水务局（Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works）、大都会消防局（Metropolitan Fire Brigade）与维多利亚州立储蓄银行（State Savings Bank of Victoria）；
- 不属于公共服务委员会（Public Service Board）管辖的相关部门官员，包括律政厅（Crown Law Department）、公共工程部（Department of Public Works）、精神病医院管理局（Department of the Hospitals for the Insane）、铁路部门与警察部门的官员。本系列不收录公共服务委员会管辖范围内的官员名单，此类人员名单已刊载于《政府公报》（Government Gazette）。
该系列的统计汇编板块则聚焦于以下类别：
- 法律与犯罪
- 财政
- 生命统计（出生、死亡等）
- 市政统计
- 人口状况
- 财富积累
- 社会状况
- 生产情况