Document information
Physical location:
T92/2768, unit 663, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 92.01.29Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Thomas Wilson, 1892-01-29. 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/92-01-29>, accessed September 11, 2025
29/1/92
Let me take the earliest opportunity, dear Mr Wilson, to thank the hon. the Chief
Secretary and his hon. ministerial colleagues for the generous consideration, shown
me in maintaining my work and scientific dignity
and assure them, that I shall just as before give my whole time and thought and income,
for maintaining the
prestige
of the position, which Victoria has throughout maintained in the branch of scientific
and applied knowledge, which I represent. As the Department becomes
abolished
, I presume the £400, mentioned in the Age as working expenses,
will be a
grant
or allowance, so that the
cheapest
arrangements can be made, to carry on the information, and so that no special transactions need
trouble
yourself as my superior officer I will wait on you some evening soon, to thank you personally for the powerful aid,
by which I am now able to proceed in my scientific and utilitarian career unimpaired
in my honor.
1
See M to T.Wilson, 27 January 1892.
2
The passage from the
Age
(Melbourne), 29 January 1892, p. 4, that M cites is: '
As has already be
e
n stated in these columns, it
h
as been decided to abolish the department of the Government botanist without making
any
alteration in the duties or salary of its
h
ead,
Baron von Mueller. That gentleman will retain his post as Government botanist
at
a s
ala
ry
of £800 a year, and he will combine his scientific
researches and his work i
n
connection with his
herbarium as heretofore, the only stipulation
that the Government makes being that
t
he total cost of the department
shall not ex
ce
ed £1200 p
e
r annum, so that
b
e
yond Baron von Mueller's salary a sum
o
f
£400 only
will be available for expenditure.'
3
The file contains calculations by Wilson for '
Government Botanists Branch
'. The first shows the present annual expenditure as £2,865, comprising salaries at
£1,705 and Contingencies at £1,160.
That is followed by:
'[If] Branch be abolished, the following payments to be made
Gratuities to
Messrs Luehmann and Minchin who have not attained the age of 60 years non-recurring
£
862.6.8
(The other Members of the Staff, are not entitled to a gratuity, in consequence of
having joined the Service subsequent to the passing of Ramsay's Act.)'
He then calculated the remaining annual expenditure to be £1,020, made up as follows:
'Estimated Annual Expenditure for maintaining the Botanic Museum, say 500*
Pension to Baron von Mueller. 520
*This, of course, is a mere guess. I presume the present Museum will have to be maintained
somewhere and possibly the collection added to as heretofore
T.R.W.
29/12/91'
On 31 December 1891, the Chief Secretary, A. McLean, annotated the file: 'Abolish
Office & give 3 months notice'. However, on 28 January 1892, he minuted: 'Mueller
to be [retained] Total cost to be restricted to £12
00
per annum [...] in writing.'
Gratefully your
Ferd. von Mueller.