[15]/10/781
I write a few lines, dear Mr Odgers, to ask whether you will kindly remind the hon. Graham Berry of my great wish for obtaining the £1800 for buildings, on the estimates before the parliamentary session closes, as otherwise a year will be lost.
You remember perhaps, that £900 lapsed two years ago. I am so very eager to get at last the Office, Museum and Laboratory Branches again in superior working order, and to provide space for the constantly increasing collections & working material. The present only room is so much out of repair, that it will be best to build anew in Albert-Park. I ask for no horticultural votes. Advise me kindly, whether I ought again to submit two official applications, one to the C.S., the other to the Minister of public works.2
Regardfully
Ferd. von Mueller.
The day in the date is missing. The letter was registered at the Chief Secretary's Department on 16 October 1878; it is dated on the assumption that the letter was written the day before it was registered.
See M to J. MacPherson, 16 April 1877 (in this edition as 77-04-16a), M to W. Odgers, 21 June 1877, and M to W. Odgers, 23 July 1878 (in this edition as 78-07-23b). The last of these has a minute on it by Berry dated 16 October, prompted by the present letter: 'This matter must remain over for next years estimates when I trust satisfactory arrangements will be made'. The message was conveyed to M who replied on 17 October: 'Returned with best thanks for kind promise of the Hon. the Chief Secretary to provide the needful means on next years estimates'.
Please cite as “FVM-78-10-15,” 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