Document information

Physical location:

B95/3533, unit 581, VPRS 3992/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 95.01.28

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Francis Reddin, 1895-01-28. 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/1890-6/1895/95-01-28-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
This letter is A95/1888 in the file.
Copy
2
Copy apparently made at Chief Secretary's Office.
South Yarra
3
Melbourne.
28/1/95
F. Reddin Esq
Secretary to the Public Service Board.
In compliance with the request of the Public Service Board,
4
Letter not found; but see C. Topp to M, 7 March 1895 (in this edition as 95-03-07a).
dear Mr. Reddin, the two officers, Mr. Minchin and Mr. French,
5
Charles H. French.
present themselves.
Without in any way endeavouring to influence the Commissioners in their independent judgment, I would beg to point out respectfully
1, that the officers are both trained through many years for the special herbarium work and that, as pointed out in former communications, there is ample occupation for them here;
2, that at the Herbarium at Kew (England) eight officers (all with considerable salaries) are regularly employed under the Director;
3, may I also venture to mention that on the present finance-year's Estimates Mr. Minchin and Mr. French are not mentioned as transferable, as they were in the year before;
4, that three years ago already enormous retrenchment was effected in my small Branch of the Public Service;
5, that the Melbourne Herbarium is the only one of vast magnitude in the southern hemisphere, commenced by me in 1839 and comprising nearly a million sheets.
I will gladly wait on the Commissioners if desired.
6
See also F. Reddin to M, 30 January 1895, and M to C. Topp, 8 March 1895 (in this edition as 95-03-08a). Both Minchin and French were transferred by the Public Service Board to the Department of Agriculture (see E. Duffus to M, 5 February 1895), on the ground that they had been declared to be in excess in the Government Botanist's office. They returned to M on 3 May1895 (M to C. Topp, 3 May 1895).
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.