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D71/4574, unit 750, VPRS 44/P inwards registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 71.03.25Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Clement Hodgkinson, 1871-03-25. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/71-03-25>, accessed September 11, 2025
Melbourne botanic Garden,
25 March 1871.
Sir
This day two men have been fishing on the Yarra in one of the lagoons of the Gov.
House Reserve, and I understand that they did so under an authority from you. I cannot
believe this, as not likely a head of a Department would pass a brother officer in
the service and communicate with a subordinate on matters concerning ground under
my control.
I remember that a long time ago I issued an order for fishing on my ground for supply
of gold and silver fish for the lagoons and fountains of the reserves under your administration,
but certainly I do not remember that without any reference to me such order should
remain in force long afterwards. I need not say, that had I been asked, I should have
been happy to give every facility for the supply of these fish, but if really — as
I do
not
believe was done by you — any communication of your Department with mine took place
without any reference to myself and to myself alone, you would open the road to the
ruin
not only of my Directorship but even to my whole position
I am, Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller,
Direct. botan. Garden.
Clement Hodgkinson Esq
Assistant Commissioner of Lands & Survey
&c&c&c
1
On 28 March Hodgkinson minuted: 'I beg to inform Dr Von Mueller that
I made no written or verbal application to Mr Ferguson for any fish
. Some days ago that gentleman called at the Crown Lands Office during the sitting
of the Board of Land and Works and stated that, having seen in the public papers that
many hundreds of Goldfish had been stolen from the ponds in the Treasury Reserve he
would supply some for the empty ponds from a pool which he was about to clean out
on the Govt House Reserve. He was thanked for the offer — and on Saturday evening
after dark
I received a message from Mr Ferguson that some fish had been caught and
were waiting for removal
at [Brandeth's] ferry. I exceedingly regret the acceptance of these fish as such acceptance
has caused annoyance to Dr Von Mueller. I attach little value to the fish as they
are so very inferior to those in Fitzroy Garden, (which are the progeny of some given
to me by the Acclimatization Society); For those received from Mr Ferguson are all
black with one solitary exception'. In a note on the file dated 3 March, M asked: 'I should regard it as an act of consideration to me as Director of the botanic
Garden, if the Assistant Commissioner of Lands will not allow the Forest Inspector
to enter into any direct communication with the Lands department on any subject concerning
matters in my Department'. Hodgkinson marked the request on the same day, 'Noted | put up'.
William Ferguson was as Inspector of Forests technically responsible to M, but the
two were at loggerheads.