Ferdinand von Mueller

7/4/92

After receiving your kind letter this morning,

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Letter not found.

dear Commandeur Archer, I wrote and sent a letter to the Under Secretary,

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Letter not found. A deputation from the Royal Society of Victoria met the Chief Secretary on 7 April,

and strongly urged that the sum of money to be set aside for the Government Botanist's department should be increased from £1200 to £1500 a year. Mr. M'Lean remarked that the matter had been carefully considered by the Cabinet before the retrenchment was agreed upon; but in view of the strong representations made by the society he would again bring the matter under the notice of his colleagues ( Age , 8 April 1892, p. 4).

pointing out, that I recognize gratefully the kind efforts made by the science-Societies and particularly the Deputation on behalf of my Department, but that I would keep the collections safe and under utilisation for the £400 left me as working expenses; but that I should feel most thankful if young French could remain with me at the additional expense of £128 -. -. annually

I was of course not really hostile to the movement on my behalf, but I was afraid , it was inopportune, as Mr M’Lean and his Colleagues time is just now taken up by the elections extra, — as the new estimates are only framed in May or June, and as I was frighten ,

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frightened?

that the discussions by the Deputation before Reporters might lead to new expressions against the Ministry also possible

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possibly?

to public suggestion too rashly made. Perhaps you like to send this letter for perusal to our friend Prof Spencer.

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W. Baldwin Spencer.