Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter is accompanied by a requisition, also dated 3 November 1868, completed and signed by M, for 'Transfer of the Iron Annex of the Old Exhibition Building to the botan. Garden', the purpose being stated to be 'for extension of the botan. Museum to provide for accommodation of Industrial vegetable objects for inspection & for lectures'.

Melbourne botan. Garden

3/11/68.

Sir

I have the honor to solicit, that you will be pleased to sanction the transfer of the Iron Annex of the Old Exhibition Building to the botanic Garden, where it would form an admirable addition to the phytological Museum Building. If I had the command of such a room as this iron structure would afford, I could at once commence a collection of industrial objects pertaining to plants, with a view of being open to public inspection and with an intention to diffuse by periodical lectures and demonstrations information on such objects of industry.

2

The annexe had been occupied by the National Gymnasium, which provided classes in physical education, but the Government had decided to clear the site and dispose of the buildings. Following representations to the Minister, the National Gymnasium was on 23 September 1868 granted continuing occupancy until the end of the year, and then on 5 January 1869 until the site was required. On 9 November 1868, Grant minuted in response to M's request: 'Noted by the Honble The President. It is considered that the cost of removing the building and reerecting it in position herein referred to would be more than commensurate with the advantages to be derived therefrom its use for purposes specified.' C. Hodgkinson to M, 14 December 1868, gave the reason for the denying M the building was that, because of continued benefit to the public for the practice of gymnastics, the Board had decided to retain the building for that purpose.

The building was closed from c. October1869 (Weekly Times (Melbourne), 16 October 1869, p. 7) and then reconstructed in the East Melbourne Cricket Ground as the National Gymnasium (Weekly Times (Melbourne), 29 January 1870, p. 15).

I may mention, that the absolute want of accommodation has hitherto hindered me to form the industrial portion of the Museum, and that the coming Berlin Exhibition will probably require again some local effort to bring our industrial resources before the world, for which preliminary labor really some such building will be very much required in my department, to utilize the products to be gathered for Victoria also permanently here.

I may remark, that the great national phytological collections of Britain are not placed in the British Museum but into Kew Garden, when for comparison with the living plants such collections of industrial vegetable objects have proved of far greater utility, than they could have been in any metropolis.

The Honorable J.M. Grant, M.P.

President of the Board of Lands & Works