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Physical location:

O67/7031, unit 750, VPRS 44/P inwards registered and unregistered correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 67.06.08a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Grant, 1867-06-08 [67.06.08a]. 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/1860-9/1867/67-06-08a-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

Melbourne, bot Garden
8/6/67
Sir
In compliance with your request I have the honor to submit to you a schedule, which may be regarded as the basis of expenditure of wages in the botanic Garden. It needs however scarcely to be pointed out, that the number of employees engaged must vary according to season and accidental circumstances and temporary requirements. It also is impossible to fix permanently the rate of wages, as it is desirable to leave to the discretion of the responsible Director the power of remunerating the services of every Individual employed according to the nature of the work, for which he is or may be engaged. The wages do not exceed current rates, if it is remembered, that only four holidays are kept annually, that no remuneration is granted in sickness unless such arises from an accident incurred in the service or from exposure to weather while the employee was on duty, and that the working hours are ten a day. No payment is rendered for the Sundays, except to watchmen on duty.
Regarding the salaries I would recommend that that of the Gov Botanist and Director of the botanic Garden be decreased, as already recommended last year to £500 and that the office of the Assistant be abolished for economy's sake. In this case I recommend, that the ordinary compensation be granted under the Civil Service Act or that the service of the Officer be transferred, as provided for in the Civil Service Act to an other Department. To effect a reduction in the expenditure for contingencies I beg to suggest, that the sum of £250 may be deducted in 1868 from the item of publishing works, that sum having annually been expended in lithographic drawings & lithographic printings, which works, however desirable they may be, are not absolutely necessary. By this means and by abolishing the water-vote, which is not charged to the Fitzroy & other Parks, the expenditure of the botanical Department can be reduced in 1868 by approximately £1000. No further reduction will however be possible without crippling some branch of the Department; the nursery operations may be decreased, to allow some labor for tea, coffee, cinchona, tapioca, corkoak &c being cultivated in the fern-tree gullies.
The demanded general return of gazetted contracts, I have also the honor to annex, also schedule of expended contingencies. No special contracts have been yet accepted this year
The forage vote of £220 provides for three Governments Horses, of which two heavy cart horses are daily at work; the third is a messengers horse; besides out of this vote the expenditure for water-birds on the lake, for singing birds in the aviary and for the few menagerie animals is met. The director provides his private horse for the service, and provides also himself privately for its sustenance.
I beg in conclusion to observe, that wages for extra-earthworks and for other unusual and extensive operations have been provided according to the requirements of the time out of the special vote granted for public works in the botanic Garden.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your very obedient
Ferd. Mueller.
The honorable the President of the Board of Lands & Works
[Balance of Votes for the Botanic Gardens Melbourne]
Vote
Under Authority
Expended to date
Balance of Authority
Balance of Vote
Salaries
935
—
—
935
—
—
389
11
8
545
8
4
545
8
4
Contingencies
Wages
4000
—
—
4000
—
—
1898
2
—
2101
18
—
2101
18
—
Incidental Expenses
120
—
—
70
—
—
43
4
1
26
15
11
76
15
11
Travelling Expenses
40
—
—
10
—
—
7
14
6
2
5
6
32
5
6
Purchase of Plants &c
150
—
—
100
—
—
99
—
1
—
19
11
50
19
11
Publication of Works on Australian Plants
350
—
—
80
—
—
74
—
—
6
—
—
276
—
—
Forage
220
—
—
110
—
—
*40
17
7
69
2
5
179
2
5
Stores
420
—
—
220
—
—
**192
19
6
27
—
6
227
—
6
* This item comprises Forage for draft horses obtained from the Contractor
£
25
6
3
and Forage for singing & Water birds obtained by direct purchase
15
11
4
£
40
17
7
**£164.1.2 of this sum were paid for Stores obtained under Requisition from the contractors and £28 18 4 for purchases made according to Clause 75 of the Store & Transport Regulations
Salaries, Melbourne Botan. Gardens
Government Botanist & Director of botanic Garden
610
—
—
Assistant
325
—
—
£
935
—
—
Rates of wages paid to Gardeners, Labourers and others engaged at the botanic Garden. (subject to alterations)
Rate of wages per day
A/m of wages per ann.
Principal Garden Assistent and Horticultural Clerk
14/.
219
4
—
Traveller & Collector
10/.
156
10
—
Stationed at present in Rockinghams Bay. He defrays his own travell. expens. and serves the interest of the bot. Gard. & Mus.
Operator in Chemical Laboratory
9/.
140
17
—
Engaged for carrying out chemical investigat. into the products of vegetable substances. (Oils, resins, naphthae, vinegar, acids sugar, charcoal, paper materials, textile fabrics, starches &c) under Dr Muellers immediate direction.
Custos of Museum & Attend.
8/.
120
4
—
His services are available on Sundays without extra remuneration.
Two boys at Museum, each
3/.
93
18
—
One boy at Laboratory
3/.
46
19
—
One gardener
8/6
128
—
6
Stationed in the Classground, Araucariae plantation & Conservatory, also time keeper.
8/6/
128
—
6
Stationed in pine nurseries and in charge of trees for forest culture and of normal collection of fruit trees &c.
8/6
128
—
6
In charge of forcing house & joining grounds
8/.
120
4
—
Incharge of Palm house & of normal collect. of Pines of adjoining garden lawns.
8/.
120
4
Stationed in outdoor nursery, mainly for supply of public institutions.
8/.
120
4
—
Stationed in Eastern part of bot. Gard. proper
8/.
120
4
—
Stationed in Middle part of B. G. proper
8/.
120
4
—
" Western "
8/.
120
4
—
In charge of the seed department [&] the collections needed for maintaining interchanges with foreign Institutions to obtain reciprocally seeds of forest trees &c on a large scale.
One Assist. Gardener
7/.
109
11
—
Stationed in propagating pits.
"
7/6
117
7
6
Assisting in general garden work.
"
6/.
93
18
—
Stationed in experimental ground.
"
7/.
109
18
—
Assisting in general garden work
One Carpenter
9/.
140
17
—
Provides his own tools
One Mechanic
7/6
117
7
6
For effecting small repairs & general work
One Messenger
6/.
93
18
—
Assisting also in copying writing
One Labourer
5/6
86
1
6
Subordinate to the gardeners
"
5/.
78
5
—
"
One Carter
8/6
128
—
6
Engaged in earth work & others
Five boys each receiving
3/.
234
15
—
strictly Department. work.
Stationed under the various gardeners.
One gardener
8/6
128
—
6
Stationed in the North. ground
"
7/6
117
7
6
Stationed in the Oak Park
" Labourer
5/.
78
5
—
" Gardener
7/.
109
11
—
" Pine Park
" Gabourer
4/.
62
12
—
" boy
3/6
54
15
6
One Carter
7/.
109
11
—
One boy
3/6
54
15
6.
Painter, signwriter, blacksmith & others work of Mechanics
92
12
6
£
4000
—
—
Contracts for the supply of Stores &c to Government Establishments. during 1867
Contract
No 1
Ironmongery
gazetted Septemb. 11th 1866 No 101 of Gazette
"
No 2
Copper Iron &c
"
"
No 3
Tinware
"
"
No 4
Oils
"
"
No 5
Canvass, sails &c
"
"
No 6
Ship Chandlery
"
"
No 8
Timber
"
"
No 9
Bricks Lime Cement &c
"
"
No 10
Painters & Glaziers materials
"
"
No 11
Leather & Shoemakers mater.
"
"
No 12
Saddlery
"
"
No 13
Stationery
"
"
No 14
Linen drapery
"
"
No 15
Glass & Earthenware
"
"
No 16
Clothing
"
"
No 17
Boots & Shoes
"
"
No 18
Seals & Stamps
"
"
No 20
Medicines
"
"
No 21
Paper &c
"
"
No 92
Coal
gazetted
Decemb 7th 1866
"
139
"
No 501
Flowerpots
"
February 8th 1867
"
17
Contract
No 507
Oats
gazetted
February 8th 1867
"
17
"
806
Hay
"
March 8th 1867
"
29
Forage for horses, water & singing birds &c
Expended
Vote
220
—
—
Forage for horses obtained from Contractors
Contract No 279 (fr 1866 to 31 Jan. 1867) Jos. Watson
11
14
4.
Contr. No 507 (1867) Moubray Lush & Co
8
8
—
" 806 (1867) Moubray Lush & Co
5
3
11
Forage for birds &c directly purchased
Jam. Morton, 413 lbs beef used in January & February
5
3
3
Jam. Morton 250 lbs beef " March
3
2
6
G. Hardy 7 bush. 16lbs Maize
1
12
10
Jam. Morton 264 lbs beef used in April
3
6
—
Jam. Morton 187 lbs beef " May
2
6
9
£
40
17
7
40
17
7
Balance
£
179
2
5
Liabilities chargeable against the Votes for Contingencies for goods received or ordered or for services &c rendered for which accounts have not yet been passed.
Incidental Expenses
Gas consumed at Chemical Laboratory during May
(Account not yet received) about
£1.
2.
0.
Incidentals defrayed by Dr Mueller since April 30
15.
0.
0.
16
2
0
Purchase of Plants & Seeds
Outstanding Accounts
£32.
14.
0
Publication of Works on Australian Plants
Remittance to be made to G. Bentham Esq in aid of the publication of Universal Work on Australian Plants
1
See M to J. Grant, 6 June 1867.
£100.
0.
0
Due for Lithographic Drawings and printings
34.
0.
0.
£
134.
0.
0
Forage for Horses &c
Due to Moubray Lush & Co for forage
(nearly all) supplied, Contracts No 507 & 806
£14.
8.
7½
Due to G. Hardy, direct purchase of Maize, 2 sacks = 7 bush lbs a/c not yet received about
1
12.
0
£
16
—
7½
Stores, Stationery
Due to Contractors for Stores supplied according to approved Requisitions for the first 6 months of the current year
£95.
17.
3