Melbourne,
14 Febr 1884.
T. R. Wilson Esqr.
Undersecretary.
Sir
In reply to your questions of yesterday1 I have the honor to state
1, The duties of the late Mr Groener were those of a Superior Assistant as well at the office as in the Herbarium, besides attendance to town-work and occasional engagements for collecting plants.
— The duties of Mr Léon Henry are those of Junior Office-Assistant, aiding in clerical work, labelling bot. specimens at arrival, also minor mechanical duties.
— The duties of Mr James Minchin are those of Junior Herbarium-Assistant, sorting dried specimens of plants, treating Herbarium with preservatives and minor mechanical duties.
— The duties of Mr Charles French2 are those of second junior Herbarium-Assistant, aiding thus generally in Herbarium-work and keeping the Building clean.
2, The present applicant3 for the position of the late Mr Groener is the father of the young person above named.4 He is twenty years in the Gov. service, 10 of which he spent under me in the bot. Garden, where he is still engaged, at present with an income of about £150, having besides the free use of a 6 roomed cottage there, which latter he would have to give up, should he be appointed in Mr Groener's place; he will not gain monetarely by this transfer, but his scientific taste makes him desirous, to join my branch of the public service; besides I would beg to point out, that I should require a trustworthy and efficient person like Mr French (senior), who would need to have special knowledge and experience, such as he possesses. He is 41 years old. The three juniors in my establishment have not sufficient knowledge and are rather too young to be promoted. The three juniors are:
Mr Léon Henry, engaged since 1 July 1881; his present wages 7/6d daily.
Mr J. Minchin, engaged since 28 febr 1879; his present wages 6/6d daily.
Mr Ch. French (junior) engaged since 12 July 1883; his present wages 3/6 daily.5
I have the honor to be,
Sir, your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller.
The Chief Secretary, G. Berry, initialled his approval and on 19 February 1884, H. Moors for the Under Secretary minuted: 'To the Government Botanist to note the the Chief Secretary's approval to Mr Charles French (senior) undertaking the duties performed by the late Mr Groener, and to report the date from which he entered upon them. I shall be glad to be informed of the actual date of Mr Groener's death'.
There are further annotations on the file, the first by M on 26 February: 'Returned with best thanks for the hon. the Chief Secretary's kind action in this matter. Mr French will enter on his new duties at the first of March.'
On 28 February the Under Secretary, T. Wilson, reminded M that he had not notified the Chief Secretary's Office of the 'actual date of Mr Groener's death. The fact, and date of his death should be duly verified'. M replied on 1 March that Groener had died on 6 February 1884, and that a certificate could be obtained from Port Adelaide if necessary.
A final annotation records: 'Chas French appointed, 5/3/84, Assistant in office of Govt Botanist, @ £200, from 1/3/84'.
Please cite as “FVM-84-02-14,” 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 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/84-02-14