Melb. Botan. Garden
21/6/70
Let me thank you, dear Mr Moule, for your prompt attention to the wishes of the Trustees, to advise them professionally in reference to the financial irregularities in Lissignol's administration of the Royal Park.1 I will place your legal report before my colleagues at an early meeting probably to be held already on Friday next.
Your regardful
Ferd. von Mueller
Fred. Moule Esq.
E. Lissignol was the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria's ranger at Royal Park, who was appointed to a French consular post in Bombay. The Society's routine audit uncovered an embezzlement of £100 and Lissignol was arrested on the day of his departure, but the arrest warrant was cancelled by the Police Magistrate when friends repaid the money; Lissignol left for India as planned on 22 May 1870 (Age (Melbourne), 23 May 1870, p. 2). Further investigation revealed a much larger fraud. See M to J. McCulloch, 26 July 1870, which enclosed a report by Moule and another by the auditor.
Please cite as “FVM-70-06-21b,” 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