Description of series:
 
This series consists of letters, memoranda, applications, directives, etc on the organisation and operations of Prices & National Security Regulations in the State of South Australia. They include information on prosecution procedure, blackmarketing, freight and shipping charges, subsidies, building control, trading results and balance sheets. They cover a great variety of manufacturers, retailers and wholesaler traders in South Australia. The trading results documented are more detailed and comprehensive than those normally available in published annual reports. In many cases the results are analysed and reported on in terms of price control, and excessive profit or the need to provide Commonwealth subsidies.

The series was heavily culled prior to transfer to Archives storage, most records destroyed from 1939 and 1940 were commodity files. A list of destroyed records is available in AP5/3. Some interesting items noted to be extant include WS Kelly's exposition on 'The Pig Plan', the effects of the 40 hour week and the national wage case, a review of prices controls for the period 1939-1947, and 'Austerity' meals.  Many of the files contain inwards correspondence on company letterhead which in itself is an interesting reflection of the styles and designs of the era.

History Prior/Subsequent to Transfer:
 
Prior to transfer: Price control was introduced by the Commonwealth Government as part of its defence responsibilities, to act as a brake on inflation trends created through war time profiteering. The Federal Cabinet appointed a sub-committee to consider the problems immediately after the outbreak of war.
 
This sub-committee recommended that the Commonwealth should take power to control prices of all commodities and services. This recommendation was accepted and on 8 September 1939 a Prices Order was issued under the Defence (National Security General) Regulations, preventing any increase in the price of certain specified goods except by permission of the Minister for Trade & Customs.
 
On 28 September 1939 National Security (Prices) Regulations were gazetted (Statutory Rules 1939 No 110 of 28/09/1939). These regulations with subsequent amendments provided for the setting up of a Prices Branch of the Dept of Trade & Customs, under a Commissioner with a Deputy Commissioner in each of the 6 States. These Deputy Commissioners were vested with the power to enforce price regulation orders on declared commodities and to warn or prosecute traders for overcharging, under National Security Regulations.
 
Price Control passed from Commonwealth to State administration on 20 September 1948, and the Commonwealth records were loaned to the State Prices Branch to ensure continuity of administration.
 
Subsequent to transfer: The records were transferred in the repository from State Prices Branch on 10 May 1954. The records were culled in the repository according to the Prices Branch Disposal Schedule. Seven tons of records were destroyed. The balance, i.e. 77 feet, went to make up series 1,3,4, & 5 in Accession AP 5.
 
Administrative information
 
The following data was keyed from the paper documentation:
Form number:              CA 17
Creating department:      , Department of Trade & Customs, Prices                           Branch, Office of Deputy Prices Commissioner                           for South Australia
Transferring department:  , Trade & Customs, Prices Branch S.A.,                           Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Prices                           in South Australia
Date of transfer:         10/05/1954
Archives file number:     RWA10/2/2

AP5/1 was relocated from South Australia to the ACT in November 2021