348 PECORDS OF THE AC^^TRALIA^' MUSEUM. 



" The Museum is at present at tlie New Court House, Darlinghurst, and is 

 open for public inspection every Wednesday from 10 to 3. The Gardens 

 daily from sunrise to sunset." 



The Minutes of 26th August, 1848, record tliat the members of the 

 Museum Committee were asked to examine : — 



" Specimens of Natural History now in Court House jirevious to removal to the 

 New Museum." 



The permanent buihliug in William Sti-eet, Hyde Park, having been 

 pronounced sufficiently advanced to receive the collections, the removal, 

 according to the Minutes, was ordered on 24th February, 1849'*-^, to be 

 carried out : — 



" Mr. Wall was authorised to proceed with the removal of the specimens of 

 Natural History now in the New Court House, and to draw for the amount 

 necessary to cover the expenses of their safe conveyance to the Museum. 

 The sum not to exceed Thirty Pounds." 



4 — The Commencement ok the Ausji;ai,ian Museum, as we know it, 



1838-46, inclusive. 



The Grovernmeut of the day evidently had in view the erection of a 

 permanent building to be devoted to the pui-pose of a Museum and Public 

 Library as early as 1838, for in the Minutes of 1st August, 1838, we 

 read : — 



"The Colonial Architect [Moi'timer W. Lewis] had been directed to confer with 

 the Committee of the Australian Museum and the Australian Liln-ary for 

 the purpose of proposing- an eligible situation for tlie erection of an edifice 

 suitable for these Institutions'''*'." 



As the Collections have been traced to their permanent home, I now 

 propose showing how that abode came into existence. 



On the 25th September, 1844, Dr. [>Sir] Charles Nicholson moved in 

 the Legislative Council that iin address be presented to His K.xcellency 

 [Sii' C Gipps] asking that: — 



"in furtherance of the oliject of tlic IJight Honoralilc tlic Enri IJathur.st, then 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies, as communicated in His Iiordshij)'s 

 Despatch to the Governor of this Colony, dated the ;U)tli March , 1827. to 

 cause some suitable apartments to be forthwith provided for tlie Australian 

 Museum; or, if this be not practical)le. to direct the Colonial .Architect to 

 prepare a plan, elevation, and estimate of a suitalile buiUhiig fur the pur- 

 lK)se tc) b(^ laid before the Legislative Council for a])pri)val." 



To this petition Sir (ieorge rt-plied on llic 27tli of the same 

 niorit Ir"'' : — 



^» Minutes, 24th Fel)ruary, 1849. 



■"' Minutes, 1st August, 1838. 



•■-' New South Wales, Votes and I'rdc. Leg Council. 1844, No. 65 ('J7th Sept. 

 1844) p. 213, "Message," etc. 



