The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 11 May 1870 ¶ Dr Von Mueller Direct Bot gardens ¶ Sir ¶ ¶ Having been informed that William Smith is trying to com back to the Melb. Bot. Garden again I beg to draw your attention to the understandin...

Document information

Physical location:

W70/5147, unit 576, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Office, Public Record Office, Victoria. 70.05.11

Preferred Citation:

David Coller to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1870-05-11. 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/70-05-11>, accessed September 11, 2025

Smith had been accused of fornication in D. Coller to M, 10 March 1866.

11 May 1870

Dr Von Mueller Direct Bot gardens

Sir

Having been informed that William Smith is trying to com back to the Melb. Bot. Garden again I beg to draw your attention to the understanding on this head arived at four years ago on the accasion of a certain misdeanor conmited by him and which was proved by two eye witnesses Viz:— R. Morrison and L Smith but you being lenient with him at the time did not discharge him in consideration of his having a sick Wife and child but transferred him to the Northern grounds on the understanding that he was never to return to the Gardens again in the capacity of an Employe but was to look out for a situation elswhere. I respectfully beg to enter a protest against his being employed again on the same grounds as I did on a former occasion

I remain

Sir

yours respectfully

D Coller

See also M to W. Odgers, 11 May 1870, and, for Smith's request for reinstatement, W. Smith to J. McCulloch, 9 May 1870 (in this edition as M70-05-09).