Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot. Garden

30/11//71

In the Signs of this morning, dear Mr Odgers, I see a notice of complaint, according to which the gates of the bot. Garden have not been opened in due time, at 6 a.m. I have at once impressed on the four different gardeners, who live on the ground, the necessity of extreme punctuality in this respect, and I do not think that even any real reason for complaint existed. Of course it may accidentally happen that a gate is opened a few minutes later then 6, especially since the 8 hours system was forced on the service, by which the men commence working only at 8, instead of formerly at 6.

1

The 'eight hours system' whereby the normal working day was defined as eight hours long was gradually introduced in Victoria after it was pioneered by the stonemasons' union in 1856. It is not known when it was appllied to the Botanic Garden, but it was apparently in place by April 1870; see M to J. McCulloch, 23 April 1870 (in this edition as 70-04-23a).