Ferdinand von Mueller

1

In a Memo (no. 5254) dated 22 November 1873 Francis wrote: 'I am informed that Dr Mueller has without leave asked or conceded, taken possession of one of the Houses in the Botanical Gardens & taken the Keys away? — I shall be glad of explanation if this be so, as the Government desire to prevent conflict as to the custody of these Gardens &c which are now under the exclusive control of the Lands Department with which Dr Mueller is no longer connected'.

On 28 November A. Wallis, Secretary of Agriculture, returned this file with the minute: 'In accordance with the Honble the Minister's instructions, I took delivery, on the 2.7.73, of the property of the Botanical Garden, excepting the Museum, the charge of which the late Director, in his capacity of Govt Botanist, was permitted to retain. Among other things, the Laboratory and property contained therein was made over to my custody It appears however that the Govt Botanist thought fit, without making any mention thereof, to retain a duplicate key of the building, and without asking permission to unlock and resume possession of the same.'

On 3 December the Undersecretary, W. Odgers, minuted in blue pencil: 'with refce to this memo write to Gov Bot. by dir of C. S. that he is forthwith to remove from the laboratory &c all property belonging to him either in his offl or his private capacity — & to hand the dup key over to the Com Lds Dept — To report when this instr. has been carried out'. A letter to this effect was sent on 5 December; see W. Odgers to M, 5 December 1873 (in this edition as 73-12-05a). On 17 December, M reported to Francis 'that in accordance with my previous arrangements the articles from my Laboratory Store building have been removed to a friends place in South Yarra for storage and that the key has been sent to the Secretary of Agriculture'.

Memorandum

The drying and preparing of plants in the Laboratory has been continued as usual since the beginning of July, and the Attendant working there since that time has been acting there as safeguard of the various property and apparats therein also, brought together by me in a series of years. As the Laboratory was unutilized otherwise since the end of June, when my new important industrial products were placed in accordance with former arrangements in the industrial Museum of Melbourne, I was til Friday last left under the impression that at least this workplace would be left me. The drying of fresh plants cannot be carried on in the only Museum room, as it would bring insects into the collections, commenced by myself 34 years ago. On Friday the Laboratory was suddenly seized, and all the plants prepared therein and left there for the issue of the "Educational collection" were ordered, so I understand, by the Secretary of Agriculture to be sent not to Museum, but to the Office of the bot. Garden without any reference to myself. The Laboratory is situated in the Reserve in which I built like it the Museum. Neither of the two therefore are in the bot. Garden. The collections from the Laboratory are not yet restored to me, though they were formed not on expense of the Government (no fund being left me for that purpose), but with the aid of amateur collectors on my private expenditure. The wooden storeroom, attached to the Laboratory, contains no chemicals, but rough Museum material, for which in the only Museum room left me, no space is available. The Duplicate key of the Laboratory and the key of the Storehouse remained hitherto under my charge. Of about 20 Buildings, with 3 or 4 exceptions constructed during my Directorship, only the Museum and the Laboratory were thus left me. On reference to the correspondence of the last five months it will be observed, that the Laboratory space was still used by me. Reports of the Assistant and Attendant are attached hereto.

2

See G. Luehmann to M, 25 November 1873 (in this edition as 73-11-25b), and C. Groener to M, 25 November 1873 (in this edition as 73-11-25a), in which both men confirm that the Laboratory had continued to be used to dry plant specimens. Luehmann wrote: 'the laboratory was unoccupied since July 2nd, when I handed the key to the front door to Mr. Wallis. The gentleman till then employed as operator delivered the keys to the back door to me afterwards, of which I think both the Secretary for Agriculture and the Curator of the Garden must have been aware, as on two occasions when an officer of the Lands Department — Mr Wallis I believe — wished to inspect the place, the messenger from the Garden came to the Museum for these keys and brought them back again, the plants being in the building at the time.'