File Movement Cards, Annual Single Number System

Full description

This record series constitutes a file movement record for the Department of State Forests (Forests Commission Victoria) (VA 534) during the period 1920-1938.

In 1909 the Minister for Forests assumed responsibility for the Department of State Forests. However, it was not until 1918 that Forests became a Department of State in its own right.

In 1919 the Lands Department and other relevant agencies, namely Mines and Agriculture, handed over current relevant files and recent inactive files to the Department of State Forests. In 1920 the Department of State Forests commenced its own filing system, being an annual single number system. The inherited active and useful files were top-numbered into this filing system. Pre-1920 correspondence was allocated the 1919 prefix.

The File Movement Books contain the following information:
* file number
* file to which file has been top-numbered
* disposal action
eg. red F = destroyed
date in red = destroyed on that date
pencilled F = action finalised
PA = put away = action finished.

The File Movement Books for the period 1920-1936 are no longer extant. Their physical condition deteriorated to the point where the information contained therein was transcribed onto File Movement Cards (VPRS 11729) during the period 1978-1984. The format of the Cards enabled an additional piece of information to be recorded, namely the file title.