VPRS 10252 General Correspondence Files, Annual Single Number System

Full description

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 (section 50) and to ensure continuity of administration of the function.

Files in this series deal with the development and modification of pricing policy for specific commodities, records pertaining to investigations, correspondence with large companies and businesses with regard to price enquiries and requests for changes in pricing and general files dealing with matters to do with the administration of the Branch. Some files contain papers from the period when the Commonwealth administered the function.