Document information

Physical location:

B84/2645, unit 19, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 84.03.18d

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Graham Berry, 1884-03-18 [84.03.18d]. 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/1880-9/1884/84-03-18d-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne,
18/3/84.
To the honorable Graham Berry, M.L.A.,
Chief Secretary.
Sir.
I have the honor of submitting herewith the estimate of the Gov. Botanist's Department for the finance-year 1884-1885 in the form required by your instructions of the 13 March.
1
See T. Wilson to M, 13 March 1884 (in this edition as 84-03-13a).
No alterations have been made in last years estimates, except in the Salary of the Clerk and of the Assistant. The former, who is an able and trustworthy officer, and who has been in the Department for fifteen years, did not receive any addition to his salary for the last three years, and I have therefore ventured to increase his income on the present schedule by fifty pounds, trusting that you will take this well deserving proposition into your favorable consideration.
I would further recommend, that the Salary of the Assistant be augmented by £25, the position also having had no increment for the last three years.
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient and humble servant
Ferd. von Mueller.
Copy
Estimates of public works for the Gov. Botanists Department in the finance-year 1884-1885.
Repositories and fittings in the bot. Museum for completing the location of the lately acquired Sonderian Collections.
2
See M to G. Berry, 20 October 1883. This item is marked with a line in the margin.
£280
Repairs and improvements to the bot. Museum-Building
£60
£340
Ferd. von Mueller,
Gov. Botanist.
18/3/84.
3
This page is marked: 'Seen by C S 30/4'.
Estimates of Expenditure 1884/5
4
One column on the form has been omitted from the transcription since it contained no entries. The column is headed 'Salary of Officers' and is subdivided into 'Minimum', 'Annual Increment' and 'Maximum'. It occurs before the final two columns. The form has been completed by G. Luehmann and signed and dated by M.
Numbers
Class
Schedule
Division No 13 Government Botanist
Subdivision No 1 Salaries
1884/5
1883/4
1883/4
1884/5
1
1
1
1
Government Botanist
800
800
1
1
Clerk
300
250
1
1
Assistant
225
200
3
3
1325
1250
Subdivision No 2
Contingencies
Museum Material, Stationery and Purchase of Plants
130
130
Books, Instruments, Botanical Collections, Seeds, Freights, Travelling and Incidental Expenses, including wages for junior assistants in office and museum
400
400
Collector of plants for a new edition of the Flora Australiensis and other works
125
125
Publication of illustrated works on Australian plants, including draftsman's and lithographer's work for Eucalyptus-Atlas
170
5
altered to 370, presumably in the Chief Secretary's office.
170
Paper for Lithograms
75
75
900
6
altered to 1100, presumably in the Chief Secretary's office; Berry has initialed the change.
900
2225
7
altered to 2425, presumably in the Chief Secretary's office; Berry has initialed the change.
2150
Ferd. von Mueller,
Gov. Botanist.
18/3/84.
8
M's Estimates, as amended, were approved on 30 April 1884.