Melbourne botan Garden,
12/10/70
Sir
In reference to the proposed reduction of the employees of the botanic Garden, I have the honor of submitting a list, containing those still engaged here with a statement of their length of service and the duties allotted to them. I have also the honor to remark, that their work in their different positions is so varied, as to render a reduction according to juniority an impossibility1, not every man being able to take an other ones work, special knowledge and experience being in each case requisite. In suggesting, what reductions might be made, I beg respectfully to enquire, whether the men indicated as those, with whose services I can best dispense, might not obtain employment in one of the parks under the board of lands and works or in the railway department.2
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller
Direct. botan Garden
The honorable
the Chief Secretary
Employés of the Melbourne Botanic Garden
| Name | Nature of employment | Rate of wages per day | Period of employment | ||
| C. Hoffmann | Operator in Laboratory | 11/ | |||
| J. Dallachy | Field Collector | 10/ | —professional3 | ||
| G. Luehmann | Office Assistant and Accountant | 9/ | |||
| J. Watters | Gardener for greenhouse & classground | 8/ |
About 17 years |
||
| Th. Morrison | " " middle division | 8/ | 14 Years | ||
| H. Hendrick | " " western division | 8/ | 13 " | ||
| E. Soues | " " roads & waterworks | 8/ | 13 " | ||
| D. Coller | " propagator in plant nursery | 8/ | 13 " | Specially required | |
| J. Sullivan | Carter | 8/ | 13 " | Specially required | |
| W. Smith | Gardener no special place | 8/ | 13 " | ||
| W. Lumsden | " for conservatory | 8/ | 12 " | ||
| R. Morrison | " " eastern ground | 8/ | 12 " | ||
| A. Neate | Town Agent & junior in office | 7/ | 12 " | Specially required | |
| Th. Bourke | Gardener for second middle ground | 8/ | 11 " | ||
| G. Schneider | " " Victoria house & indust4 nursery | 8/ | 10 " | Specially required | |
| T. Gulliver | " " Govt. House Reserve | 7/ | 10 " | Specially required | |
| C. Schlipalius | " " seeds department | 8/ | 8 " | Specially required | |
| H. Moran | " " nursery of pines & other trees | 5/ | 5½ " | Specially required | |
| C. Richards | for botanic museum | 3/6 | 3 " | Specially required | |
| J. Pitcher | Office boy | 2/6 | ½ " | Specially required | |
A minute on M to J. McCulloch, 30 September 1870 (in this edition as 70-09-30d) had instructed M to dismiss according to seniority.
M suggested 'certain arrangements' (register entry; details not known) that enabled all the men to be paid in December: M to J. McCulloch, November 1870 (in this edition as 70-11-00b); W. Odgers to M, 7 December 1870; M to J. McCulloch, 27 December 1870.
These names have been bracketed and indicated as 'professional'.
industrial.
Please cite as “FVM-70-10-12,” 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