Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot. & zool. Garden,

21. Nov. 1861.

Sir

In compliance with the order, conveyed by your circular N. 9415,

1

Circular not found; it was issued by the new new O'Shanassy ministry that took office on 14 November 1861, and sought revised Estimates from Departments for the following year.

I have the honor to suggest, that in the original estimate of expenditure for this establishment, anticipated as requisite for 1862 and as submitted by me to the late Government on the 19. Aug., a reduction may be effected by omitting the item "towards the enlargement of the collections at the botanical museum" £1600.- .-", soliciting at the same time, that the grant of this particular item, which I recommended for the permanent scientific consolidation of my establishment may at a future year be favorably entertained.

Should the Government be pleased to adopt under such reductions my former estimate, it will then be observed, that the schedules of estimate as printed by order of the late Government would need, as far as the amount for the botanical Gardens is concerned, an addition of £100.- .- to the Salary of the Assistant and an addition of £100.- .- to the Salary of the Curator,

2

On 7 January 1862 Moore minuted: 'Mr Dalachy [Dallachy] Curator Botanic Gardens to be reduced from Public Service — No provision to be made on the Estimates for his Office.' After M reported Dallachy for drunkenness (M to J. O'Shanassy, 14 December 1861) Dallachy was dismissed, despite the request for reconsideration in M to J. O'Shanassy 8 January 1862. He was later employed as a botanical collector in Queensland; see M to J. O'Shanassy, 12 November 1862, and Dowe and Maroske (2020).

whilst a deduction of £200.- .- could be effected for providing a Keeper of the zoological collections and a further deduction of £600.- .- out of the wages fund, a sum of £4600.- .- being provided in the printed schedule as in the previous year, instead of £4000.- .-, as regarded necessary during 1862.

I beg leave to suggest, that these £200.- .- and £600.- .- may be transferred to the estimate for the Acclimatisation establishment, for which the Council transmitted a special statement of its financial requirements during the coming year, exceeding considerably the sum placed for acclimatisation purposes by the late Government in the estimates.

Mr Undersecretary Moore

&c &c &c