Ferdinand von Mueller

4/8/86.

Only this afternoon, dear Mr Thomas, after returning from the interview, which the Premier granted us, I got a copy of the new estimates, and see with delight , that Mr Gillies kindly provided thereon for a Vote of Parliament the sum of £1000 for the geographic Society. Had I known it this morning, I certainly would have seized on the opportunity of thanking Mr Gillies then for this favor, so that the press could at once have taken notice of the Premier's kind wishes to promote geographic researches.

Pray express to the hon. Gentleman my best thanks, and let him be assured, that some substantial mark of gratitude shall be shown by placing his name prominently on the map of New Guinea.

1

'Mount Gillies Range' Is an 'unapproved variant name' for Otavia Range, Papua New Guinea, situated 8°30' S, 147°36'E (Peterson, Garren & Heyda (1982)).