Melbourne bot Garden
21/8/68.
Sir
I have the honor to bring under your favorable consideration, that Mr John Dallachy, who since 1850 was an officer of the botanic Garden and who has now attained his 63th year, might be allowed to receive a small annual pension under the Civil Service Act. He was originally Curator of the Garden, which position he held til 1861, when he received a sum of £300 for discontinuance of his office. With the approval of the honorable the Chief Secretary I was allowed to reengage his services as a Collector for the botanic Garden at a rate of 10/ for each working day, no personal travelling expenses being allowed. In the discharge of this new duty he has been very zealous and from his natural interest in the plants of Australia I feel convinced, that he would gladly continue to collect for the establishment as long as his health and strength continues without any or for little additional remuneration even when he enjoyed his pension.
His income having for the last seven years been £150 I would beg leave to recommend that £100 annually may be granted to him for the limited number of years which he is likely yet to enjoy. This £100 could then be readily reduced from the wages vote of the botanic Garden and thus an additional saving be effected.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your very obedient
Ferd. Mueller.
The honorable Jam Macph. Grant, M.P.
Minister of the Department of Crown Land & Survey.1
Please cite as “FVM-68-08-21,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 17 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/68-08-21