VPRS 12789 Details of Expenditure Books

Full description

This series was created to record details of expenditure for works carried out by the Victorian Railways (VA 2876). Works generally related to additions and improvements to way and works, the purchase and maintenance of rolling-stock, equipment and machinery; the construction of new lines and the electrification of the Melbourne suburban train network.

Because several branches of the Victorian Railways created this series, details of expenditure also included special projects undertaken from time to time. These included, for example, administration of the unemployment relief scheme between 1932 and 1939; South Yarra to Caulfield duplication 1915-1916 and the State Coal Mine depreciation fund 1913-1926.

Typically, the composition of the Expenditure Book included the following summary information:
- Appropriation number,
- Date issued,
- Section of line, eg Melbourne to Ballarat, Donald to Birchip, etc or project, generally relating to the construction or maintenance of assets,
- Correspondence registration number (see the correspondence series for the relevant branch of the agency, e.g. VPRS 421 for Secretary's Branch correspondence series),
- Locality and description of work,
- Amount authorised on working expenses / capital account,
- Date of entry in book,
- Name of creditor,
- Particulars,
- Total amount of account,
- Amount charged, and
- Details of expenditure.