Function and purpose

These are volumes containing Treasury 'notes' between the years 1901 and 1908.

The notes relate to files in CRS series A571 and include the file number and the date when the note was created. These dates may or may not relate to the date the file was raised. There are also some entries that contain a note but no file number or date.

The entries include a synopsis of the files purpose and may include details of payments, financial decisions and calculations - including population calculations. Included in some cases are clippings from newspapers and published Senate Journals and Hansards of the day regarding budgetary and financial matters.

Physical characteristics

The series consists of two quarter bound leather volumes. Both volumes are embossed with 'Commonwealth of Australia. Treasury Notes' on the front and back covers and the second volume includes the letter 'B', presumably denoting the second volume.

The pages within the volumes are split into printed columns with the headings; 'Subject', 'File' and 'Date when noted'. The entries are handwritten in black ink with titles underlined in red and with occasional annotations in either black or red in the margins.

Inside the front cover of the first volumes, are the names the members of the 2nd and 3rd Ministries (24/9/1903 and 27/4/1904) and in the second the 4th and 5th Ministries (18/8/1904 and 5/7/0905). The second volumes includes their salaries. The inside back covers have been used as an address book of sorts, listing names, roles and occasional addresses of important contacts.

System of arrangement and control

The volumes have had a single number system imposed upon them by the National Archives

Provenance

The volumes were transferred to Archival custody by the Department of Treasury [II] in 2019 and are stated to have been compiled by George Thomas Allen, First Secretary of the Treasury between 1901 and 19078 but this claim cannot be verified and it is possible they were created by his clerk.