Document information

Physical location:

U92/1961, unit 683, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 92.02.13

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Thomas Wilson, 1892-02-13. 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/1890-6/1892/92-02-13-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
The file also contains a typed copy of this letter, presumably made at the Chief Secretary's Department.
Melbourne,
13 Febr. 1892.
T. R. Wilson Esqr,
Under Secretary.
Sir.
According to instructions, conveyed by your memorandum 1599,
2
See T. Wilson to M, 11 February 1892.
I have the honor to state, that the balance of the current Vote of Contingencies in the Governm. Botanist's establishment expected to be saved, can be calculated at £262, therefore slightly more than one fourth of the whole contingencies-vote for 1891-1892. A statement in detail I append herewith.
If still some few more lithographic plates (all original) should be made, beyond those in hand, — the last after 34 years — then the small surplus over £250 of last quater
3
quarter.
of Contingencies in this finance-year will become expended. This leads up to the question, which I would like to bring solicitously forward, whether the retrenchment could be postponed til 30 June , so that the work might be allowed to go on in its whole scope til then, the fund being voted for the whole finance-year, and I having made reductions on the building vote and some other items several months ago already, particularly as perhaps no great retrenchments will take place in the other Governm. science-departments here though their respective endowments are much larger than that of the Gov. Botanist's establishment. Should the honorable the Chief Secretary kindly be inclined, to grant this respite , better time would be allowed, to reorganize the establishment on a reduced scale for taking full effect.
As regards expenditures for contingencies during the next finance-year, I may be allowed to remark, that they need not come under consideration, as the establishment will be administrated henceforth on a vastly reduced system after the cessation of the lithographic work, field-collecting and of many other of the former engagements.
4
On 3 March 1892 the Chief Secretary, A. McLean minuted: 'It has already been determined that the total cost of the Govt. Botanist's branch of this Department shall be reduced to £1200 a year from the 31st inst and this decision must be strictly adhered to.' Wilson forwarded the minute to M on the same day. M returned it on 7 March 'with best thanks I only was anxious, to interest myself for the officers of the Department'.
See also M to T. Wilson, 29 February 1892 (in this edition as 62-02-29a).
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd von Mueller,
Gov. Botanist.
Kindly assure Mr M'Lean, that I entirely trust to his and his hon. Colleagues feelings of justice towards my establishment.
Government Botanist
5
List written by Georg Luehmann.
Expenditure for Contingencies till 31st March 1892
Museum Material &c.
Vote £130
Passed
£77
Required about
20
97
Balance £33
Collector of Plants
Vote £125
Passed
£81
Required
20
101
Balance £24
Publication of Works
Vote £440
Passed
£222
Required
48
270
Balance £170
Paper for Lithograms
Vote £35
Passed
Nil
Required
Nil
Balance £35
Books — Incidental Expenses
Vote £270
Passed
£234
Required
36
270
Balance Nil
Total Contingencies
Vote £1000
Passed & Required
738
Balance £262
6
The file includes a summary in another hand: 'Extract from Return sent to Treasury 4.8.91 in compliance with request contained in letter of 28th July 1891 asking whether the Estimates of Expenditure for 1891 92 could be reduced'. This shows for the Government Botanist's Branch reductions in the Estimates of £120 for 'Publication of Works on Plants &c' and £40 for 'Paper for Lithograms', and states in addition thst 'The Public Works Estimate of Expenditure of this Branch has been reduced £186, by eliminating therefrom an item "Erection of a brick building", which building can be deferred from being proceeded with'.