Document information

Physical location:

No.1553, pp. 1112, unit 106, VPRS 1187/P, outward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office of Victoria. 95.04.02

Preferred Citation:

Charles Topp to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1895-04-02. 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/1890-6/1895/95-04-02-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
MS is a circular sent to heads of sub-departments within the Chief Secretary's Department.
Chief Secretary's Office
Melbourne, 2nd April 1895.
Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that the Honorable the Premier has directed that instructions be issued to the various Government Officers for the greatest care to be exercised in future in the use of the Frank Stamp.
With regard to the practice of sending Telegrams on Her Majesty's service, I beg to inform you that it has been decided by the Honorable the Premier that each Department is to pay the cost of all Telegrams despatched, accounts being rendered to this Office quarterly by the Postal Department; and I have therefore to request that the Telegraph may be used only when absolutely necessary, and that the utmost brevity consistent with clearness may be used when framing any requisite message.
2
Restriction on the use of telegrams was announced in a previous circular, C. Topp to M, 21 December 1894.
I have further to request that you will retain a copy of each Telegram despatched by you on Her Majesty's service, and furnish me with a return, in the form below, of Telegrams sent during each month as early as practicable after the close of the month, in order to facilitate the examination of the account when rendered by the Postal Department.
Telegrams sent O.H.M.S. during month ended ...
Date.
From
To
Telegram.
Number of words.
Cost.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
Charles A. Topp,
Under-Secretary.