VPRS 14295 Circulars

Full description

The Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) was responsible for the management, licensing, and leasing of Victorian Crown Lands. In order for the Department to perform the wide range of duties associated with this responsibility efficiently, it was necessary to supplement any standardised instructions with circulars and memoranda as legislation was changed or a decision was made to change procedures. Other circulars and memoranda assisted in the administration of the department itself.

This series consists of bound volumes of circulars sent to the clerks of the various Branches of the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) as guidance and direction in the carrying out of their duties. The various Branches of the Department collated the circulars in different ways, using different systems of control and arrangement, and called them by different names. Each Branch distributed the circulars to others within their division. Notes, such as distribution lists, correspondence or file numbers, and actions relating to the subject of the circular, were often written on the circular.

Subjects covered in the various circulars include information on the interpretation and administration of the various Acts, general instructions to District and Lands Officers, Ministerial and general orders, instructions relating to licensing and leasing of lands, and general administration procedures.

This series was constructed from an assortment of memorandum and circular books created by the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538). The decision to divide the volumes into consignments according to their various Branches was taken in order to reflect the workflow as suggested by the volumes themselves.

In many instances, the same circular can be found in several volumes (in some instances collated and notated on the same day by the same person, but placed in different volumes).

Consignment P1 - Occupation Branch
Referred to as Order Books within the Occupation Branch. Circulars and memoranda were combined in these volumes, and assigned an Order number.

Consignment P2 - Chief Clerk's Branch
The Chief Clerk's Branch circulars were also called Orders. Chronological and content overlap occurred between unit one of consignment P2 and unit three of consignment P1.

Consignment P3 - Inquiry & Plans Branch
Referred to as the Guard Book within the Inquiry & Plans Branch. The circulars include chairman's directions, Closer Settlement Board decisions, copies of forms, copies of letters, and Cabinet's decisions.

Consignment P4 - Correspondence/Board/Business Branch, Statistical Division
Units in this consignment consist of collations made by 3 separate individuals, with units two and three having both chronological and content overlap. The difference between the two units needs further research, but appears to be one of classification. Unit two primarily contains lands related circulars, whilst unit three would appear to be based around administration practices. Unit four appears to be a continuation of unit three.

Consignment P5 - Administration Branch
Chronologically, unit one of consignment P5 appears to continue on from consignment P4. A change in Branch names dating from approximately this time period would appear to support this. Many circulars are loose, and misfiled within the volume. Units two and three contain many duplicate circulars as well as additional memoranda and circulars.

The P6 consignment contains circulars accumulated by the District land Offices at Ararat and Ballarat. They provide an example of the type of communication between the Head Office in Melbourne and the country offices of the Department.