Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne,

8/10/86.

The honorable Alfred Deakin, M.L.A.

Chief Secretary.

Allow me, honored Sir, to express my best thanks for the generous support, given by you as Ministerial Chief to my Establishment yesterday in Parliament, when the departmental vote came under consideration and I feel also most grateful to the hon. members, who expressed themselves so approvingly of my service on that occasion.

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On 7 October, the Legislative Assembly considered, among other things, ‘the vote of £1,791 to complete the vote (£2,526) for the Government Botanist’. The member for Ballarat West, W. Vale, ‘expressed the opinion that it was about time some inquiry was made with regard to the expenditure of the colony on its scientific departments. The expenditure was larger in proportion than that of most countries of the world, and he doubted whether the best returns were obtained for the money.’ Several members sprang to M’s defence including, besides Deakin, W. W. Madden, W. McLellan, J. McIntyre, J. J. Madden and R. Baker. See Victoria. Parliamentary Debates, session 1886, vol. 52, pp. 1806-7.

In justice to my establishment, I may remark that — altho' it is the least endowed of the Gov. Scientific Institutions, it is not the least useful to the general Colony; and it may not be inappropriate to add, that it was Ballarat, while the resources of the botanic Garden were at my command, which derived more substantial benefit for a long series of years from my exertions, than any other district or locality of Victoria.

I should regard it as a special mark of consideration, Sir, if the Gov. Botanists Establishment does remain under the control of your ministerial section of the Government undisturbed during what at best can be only a very limited time of my remaining life; as any transfer to an other ministerial branch would necessarily change the whole system of working, would bring about additional obligations and responsibilities, while impairing existing lines of service.

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While expressing his support for M, the member for Wimmera, Richard Baker, had suggested that M’s department should be administered through the Department of Agriculture rather than through the Chief Secretary’s Department.

I am aware, that my researches cannot have a more appreciative supporter than the hon. the Minister of Agriculture but while in its well-arranged organisation the establishment under my care does all that is within its means also for rural interests, it has its functions also in many other directions for the advantages of the community. Under your hon predecessors approbation only as late as the early part of this year, I gave preference to the issue of a new and much enlarged edition of the volume on "select plants for industrial culture and naturalisation"

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B85.13.26.

in the interest of Agriculture mainly, so that the claims of that most important branch of state-economy did not become overlooked also in my workings; and this seems an apt opportunity to report, that the whole new edition is already now nearly exhausted; hence it seems desirable, as such a large demand exists for the above mentioned work, that an other issue be provided for early, in order that the supply of copies for the sale to ruralists can be kept up.

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be provided ... kept up is marked with a line in the margin, presumably by Deakin.

On 12 October 1886 the Under Secretary, T. Wilson, minuted: 'Will the Govt Botanist please state for the Chief Secretary's information

1. How many copies of the last Edition were printed?

2. How many sold?

3. How many gratuitously distributed?

4. What would be cost of a new Edition of same number of copies?'

For M's reply, see M to T. Wilson, 22 October 1886. On 1 November 1886 Deakin minuted: 'Put £250 in Estimates'. The next edition of the work was issued in 1888.