Ferdinand von Mueller

The original estimates for 1870 (Victoria Parliamentary paper B 2, p. 12, ordered to be printed 8 March 1870), prepared by the Macpherson administration, showed a total of £5,650 for M's activities. However, savings were requested in all areas by the McCulloch Government that took office in April. Although the request to M has not been found, in M to J. McCulloch, 23 April 1870 (in this edition as 70-04-23a), M itemized his proposals for reducing the budget for 1870, amounting to a revised total of £4,990. M made no provision for the Inspector of Forests (William Ferguson). Revised estimates were published on 17 May 1870 (Parliamentary paper B 60), showing an overall reduction in expenditure in the Chief Secretary's Department of £13,780, 2.1 percent of the March estimates. M's budget was reduced by 20 percent.

Compare the budgets passed by Parliament for M:

The approved budget for 1869 was £5230, under the following heads:

Government Botanist and Director of Botanic Gardens, with Quarters610

Wages of Gardeners, Botanical Collector, Laborers, &c. 3,680

Purchase of Plants and Seeds 150

Expense of publishing work on Australian Plants 150

Stores, Timber, Bricks, and Stationery 350

Forage for three (3) Cart Horses, &c. 140

Transit and other Expenses 120

Travelling Expenses 40

That for 1870 was £4,176, under the following heads:

Government Botanist and Director of Botanic Gardens, &c, with Quarters 610

Inspector of Forests (with Quarters)* 250

*This officer also performs the duties of Principal Assistant at the Botanic Gardens

Wages of Gardeners, Botanical Collector, Laborers, &c. 2,691

Purchase of Plants and Seeds and Expense of publishing work

on Australian Plants 130Stores, Timber, Bricks, and Stationery 250Forage for two Cart Horses 85Transit and Incidental Expenses 120Travelling Expenses 40

(Respectively, Victoria. Votes and proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, 1869, vol. 1, p. 51; 1870, session 1, vol. 1, p. 86, approved 31 May 1870.