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Unit 829, VPRS 3181/P Town Clerk's Files, streets, VA 511 Melbourne, Public Record Office, Victoria. 70.06.07Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to Edmund FitzGibbon, 1870-06-07. 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/1870-9/1870/70-06-07-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
Melbourne botan Garden
7/6/70.
Sir
I have the honor to solicit, that the City Council will authorize me to purchase 454
(four hundred fifty four) Elms, about 3 years old, for being planted on the Yarra bank from Prince's Bridge to Richmond, and to be placed intermediate to the Blue Gum trees, planted there
last year. If the City Council will kindly approve of this proposition, and entrust
me with the performance of the work, I would effect the purchase at 2/ each (5 or
6 feet high) or or
if possible at a less price. May I ask also, that the two men, formerly under my control,
or some other two men may now again be placed under my control, at least for a short
time, to carry out in good time the proposed planting of these elms and some other
urgent work of the season among the plants on the Corporation Ground along the Yarra.
1
Word repeated in going from one page to the next.
2
M's letter was evidently a response to the decision of the City Council at its meeting
of 30 May 1870: 'the city surveyor was instructed to prepare a plan for the completion
and planting of the Yarra-bank road, from Prince's Bridge to Hoddle-street, Richmond'
(Argus, 31 May 1870, p. 7). His letter was read at a meeting of the Melbourne City Council's
Public Works Committee on 7 June 1870: 'Chairman instructed to report to council recommending
that Dr Von Muellers offer be accepted with thanks that authority be given for the
purchase of 454 Elms five or six feet high estimated to cost 2/- each and that the
labor of the two men be given for a period not exceeding two months for the planting
of the trees the expense to be charged against the appropriation from the £50,000
loan for works in Yarra Park and Yarra Bank' (Unit 7, VPRS 4037, Public Record Office,
Victoria).
When the recommendation was put to the Council for approval on 13 June 1870, 'the motion was referred back to the committee, it being pointed out that most of
the gums referred to in the motion were already dead' (Argus, 14 June 1870, p. 6).
At the Public Works Committee on 14 June 1870 it was again considered:: 'Chairman
instructed to Report to Council re recommending in respect to the planting of the
Yarra Bank with Elms that the City Surveyor be instructed to ask the assistance and
advice of Mr Ferguson and that the council supply the necessary trees and labor for
planting them the cost to be charged against the appropriation from the £50,000 loan
for works in Yarra Park and Yarra Bank' (Unit 7, VPRS 4037, Public Record Office,
Victoria).
It is not known whether M's refutation of the comment made in the meeting of the full council, that most gums were dead (M to E FitzGibbon, 14 June 1870), was available at the meeting of the Public Works Committee on 14 June, but at the
meeting of the full Council on 27 June 1870 it was again 'ordered to be sent back
for reconsideration' (Age
(Mebourne), 28 June 1870, p. 3).
I have the honor to be, Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller,
Director of the botanic
The townclerk of Melbourne