The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Melbourne, botanic Garden, ¶ 14/9/65 ¶ Sir ¶ ¶ In compliance with the request, conveyed in your circular 2874, ¶ I have the honor to submit an estimate of the expenditure, which will likely be incur...

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L65/8675, unit 106, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 65.09.14b

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James McCulloch, 1865-09-14 [65.09.14b]. 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//letters/1860-9/1865/65-09-14b-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne, botanic Garden,

14/9/65

Sir

In compliance with the request, conveyed in your circular 2874,

J. Moore to M, 13 September 1865.

I have the honor to submit an estimate of the expenditure, which will likely be incurred to maintain the scientific and horticultural branches of this establishment in unimpaired activity during the year 1866.

1, Salary of the Gov. Botanist & Director of the botanic Garden	£610
2, Salary of an Assistant in the botanical branch (increased accord. to Civil Service Act)	£300
3, Salary of an Assistant in the horticultural branch	£300
4, Wages to Gardeners, a Carpenter, a painter, an Attendent at the botanical museum, a botanical Collector, two carters, one messenger and various artisans and labourers	£3700

The former vote was for a series of years four thousand pounds. Of this sum £300 have been deducted with a view of providing for a special Assistant in the horticultural branch. The Gentleman who hitherto acted as Assistant Director of the botanic Garden

Ernst Heyne.

was merely paid out of the wages fund; but as it is evidently an injustice to a professional Gentleman of superior acquirements to rank not equal to the Assistant employed at the botanical Museum

Carl Wilhelmi.

and as I am anxious to see his services permanently secured to the department, it becomes my duty to recommend the creation of a special office and to provide for it in the manner indicated, which thus can be effected without any additional outlay of the Government. I beg further to observe that the vote for wages cannot be decreased without a decrease of the functions of the establishment under my control. The rate of wages paid is as low as it can be rendered for securing efficiency and for providing a ten hours system of labor. As the vote hitherto stood, it enabled me also to provide from 200 to 300 public institutions throughout the Colony annually with plants, and to maintain and form the plantations in the extensive Governm. House reserve without an additional vote. These obligations could in addition to the ordinary duties of the botanic Garden not be fulfilled was the vote to suffer.

5, Purchase of such plants and seeds as are not obtainable by interchanges	£150
6, Expenses connected with the publication of works on Australian plants and with the botanical Museum	£350
7, Stores, Stationery, Timber, Tools, Flower pots, Labels, Books, Paint, Drainpipes and Tiles, Bricks, sundry Building material, Statuery, ornamental earthenwork, fuel for conservatories and forcing houses	£420

Out of this sum the material for such small new structures utilitarian or ornamental is to be provided as are not to be erected under larger building contracts of the Office of public works.

8, Forage for three draft-horses employed in gardenwork and for singing birds and waterbirds	£220
9, Transit and incidental expenses	£120
10, Travelling expenses	£40
11, Watersupply	£300

The last mentioned item is a mere nominal one, in as much as it is to cover the charge for water obtained from the Yan Yean System for the use of the garden & the surrounding reserves.

M's estimates were presented to Parliament without the requested transfer of £300 from 'wages' to 'salaries'; the total wages vote was £4000 and the other items were presented as M proposed; see Estimates and revenue expenditure of the government of Victoria for the year 1866, ordered to be printed 21 February 1866, p. 12 (Victoria, Parliamentary paper B4, 1866).

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

your most obedient servant

Ferd. Mueller,

Gov. Botanist & Director of the bot. Garden

The honorable the Chief Secretary &c.&c.&c.