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Series VPRS 10217
Minister's General Correspondence Files
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series By 1930 - ? 1970
  Series in Custody 1930 - 1971
  Contents 1930 - 1971
Public Access: Open
Location: North Melbourne
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1930 - 1970 Victorian Railways (also Victorian Railways Commissioners 1883-1973, Victorian Railways Board 1973-1983) VA 2876
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1996 - cont Department of Infrastructure VA 3971
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    Consult the Records Description List for VPRS 10208 Register of Ministers General Correspondence and VPRS 10209 Index to Ministers General Correspondence and order the volume(s) relevant to your period of research.

    Scan the volume(s) to identify files of interest and consult the Records Description List for VPRS 10217 Ministers General Correspondence to identify the unit(s) required.

  • Function / Content
    This series constitutes the general correspondence of the Minister of Transport.

    Until 1934 these files contain correspondence created and received by the Minister of Railways. This position, created in 1886, assumed responsibility for all railway matters including railway construction management, supervision and purchase of railway companies, power to regulate tolls and fares and the use and sale of property for railway purposes.

    In 1888 the Minister of Railways became responsible for the development of tourist facilities associated with railway services. From 1911 to 1968 the Minister assumed responsibility for the State Coal Mine (VA 720) which had essentially been developed to meet the railways requirement for coal. Similarly the Minister became responsible for the development of the Newport Powerhouse from 1921-1951. Railway refreshment services, complimentary road motor passenger and goods services were also developed during the 1920s.

    In 1934 these responsibilities were assumed by the new Minister of Transport. This appointment reflected a move toward greater coordination of transport related functions. Initially this approach was restricted to more extensive regulation and better coordination of commercial motor transport services and the management of the States railways.

    In 1952 the coordination role was further developed by the provisions of the Transport Act (1951) which established a Ministry of Transport (VA 673) and extended the Ministers responsibilities to include the regulation of State owned tramway and bus services and some aspects of air transport regulation.

    In 1973 the Minister of Transport became responsible for the Country Roads Board which had previously reported to the Minister for Local Government. Nine boxes of Local Government Department files relating to the Country Roads Board were transferred to the Minister of Transport and added to this series.

  • Recordkeeping System
    The record keeping system comprised three series:

    VPRS 10217 Ministers General Correspondence
    VPRS 10208 Register of Ministers General Correspondence
    VPRS 10209 Index to Ministers General Correspondence

    As correspondence was received it was registered in the Register of Ministers General Correspondence (VPRS 10208). The correspondence was registered at document level. Each new item was allocated a registration number, and summary details of the date, name of correspondent, subject and location were recorded in the register. The correspondence was registered and controlled within an annual single number system. Thus the correspondence numbering system used reverted to 1 at the beginning of each year.

    Entries in the Index to Ministers General Correspondence (VPRS 10209) were recorded alphabetically according to the surname of the correspondent.

    Both the Index and the Register documented the movement of correspondence. If a letter was received relating to a subject that had been dealt with in a previous letter, the earlier paper was attached to the new letter. The file thus created was stored and controlled by the number of the later paper. In this way files were continually top-numbered whenever a new piece of related correspondence was received. The top-numbering system was recorded in both the Index and Register. The original number would be crossed out in the Register and Index and the new one written in next to it.

    The controlling registers and indexes are generally accurate. However, there are files for which there is no entry in the controlling records. This may be due to clerical error or due to the disrepair of records.

    The control records for the Ministers General Correspondence are not in custody after 1963.

More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide062 Public Transport - Railways
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1915 - 1963 Register Of Correspondence VPRS 10208
1916 - 1957 Index To Correspondence VPRS 10209
Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0000 1930 - 1971 Open 474
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
Display entries per page
Date Range Series Title Series Number
1915 - 1963 Register Of Correspondence VPRS 10208
1916 - 1957 Index To Correspondence VPRS 10209
More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide062 Public Transport - Railways

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