Ferdinand von Mueller

On 3 September, following what was presumably a routine check of M's accounts, Moore had asked the Treasury: 'The Honble the Minister of Finance will oblige by directing this to be checked'. The accounts in question were checked and a discrepency reported. Moore then minuted on 11 September: 'The Director of the Botanic Garden will notice a few cases in which the Treasury returns do not agree with his. When convenient he will be good enough to inquire into the matter.' The present item, a minute with an attachment, is M's response.

Memorandum in Ernst Heyne's hand.

Moore responded with a further attachment: 'Have the goodness to report the balances if any on the following authorities issued against votes for 1861 with a view to their being cancelled.' M's response is recorded on Moore's document in each case, and is shown here in italics: | C.S. 23 Amount £900 Balance £ nil. | 119 80 nil | 131 80 nil | 135 375 nil | 186 575 nil | 199 700 nil | 287 900 nil | 382 1200 nil | 383 60 10-10 | 451 1107 15/ | 200 75 nil | 384 45 nil | 452 30 6-3 | 201 160 nil | 385 80 nil | 453 80 10.1.10 | 413 500 7:19.1 | 202 80 nil | 386 40 nil | 454 140 nil | 203 80 nil | 387 40 nil | 455 40 2 |'. Each item has been ticked, except for C.S. 453. A note, probably by Heyne, indicates three balances that had already been cancelled: £18.0.11 C.S. 453 | | £120 C.S. 413 | £7 C.S. 454. Each of these items has also been ticked.

On 3 October, William Odgers, then a clerk in the Chief Secretary's Office, instructed in the absence of Moore: 'The Treasury makes the balance on C.S 453 £9:19:1 which is different from Dr Muellers balance. Please to let this be inquired into.'

On 8 October 1862, M's clerk, Ernst Heyne, wrote to the printers De Gruchy and Leigh: 'Would you be good enough to refer to your books and state the amount of an account passed by Dr Mueller on August 2nd for printing 525 copies of plate No 19 and 525 copies of plates 18-20 as a discrepancy exists between the entries in the Treasury books and those kept in the garden.' The information was given as: 'July 26 525 Copies 4to plate 19 £6.0.0 | 525 Copies [...] Tab. 18 & 20 £6.0.0 '.

M added a further minute to the file while forwarding this correspondence to Moore on 9 October: 'From the byefollowing memorandum it will be percieved, that the balance under No 453 is only £7.19/1d, the amount of de Gruchy & Leighs account being entered at the treasure at £10 instead of £12'. Moore commented in an additional minute: 'Noted all the balances have been cancelled excepting that on C.S 453 and the Director will oblige by reporting as soon as it has been expended.' M responded with a final minute on 18 October: 'The balance of the authority C.S. No. 453 is now exhausted by the passing of an account in favor of Mr F. Schoenfeld, amounting to £7.19/1d'.