TIIR AUSTRAMAN MUSKUM EARLY HIS'IOHY ETIIKIU DtlE. 855 



TluTf is ct'itaiiilv ;i (lisiM'c[i:iin-y in tliilcs, iinfofl iiiiiiicly, in (*()iniecti(>ii 

 witli tlie roninuMU'i'ineiit of hnildiiig ojx'i'atioiis, lor in moi-e than one 

 ooininiiiiioalioii iioiii tlie Museum Hon. Socivtary (lit. I{. liyntl, R.N.) to 

 tlie Colonial Secretary the t'oi-iiiei- coiuplains that: — 



'• 'I'his buildiug was couiiiR'nct'd m .Jiinuary last year"^." 



In the face, however, of the documents quoted, 1 think, the lattei" 

 end of the first quarter of 1846 may be accepted as approximately the 

 date of commencement of the Australian Museum building as we now 

 know it. The time allowed by the Colonial Architect for the completion 

 of the work was eighteen months : — 



"Mr. Lewis informed the meeting that the new building would require 

 eighteen months to complete, but that within three months he would be 

 able to afford the Curator a sufficient workshop in the building"^." 



5 — Financial, etc. 



The financial position of tho Colonial Museum from June, 1829, to 

 December, 1837, has alreadj' been given (Part i., p. 70). From 1832 to 

 1837 the voted income never exceeded £200 per annum. In 1833-36 

 this was apportioned, according to " Raymond's New South Wales 

 Calendar," etc.'^, as follows : — 



"Zoologist .£130 



Purchase of Specimens ... ... ... ... ... 70 



^200 0." 



but, in the official statement referred to above, there "was no expenditure 

 in 1833, and only the most trivial in 1832. In 1836 the allowance was 

 subdivided in this manner : — 



" To the Keeper of the rooms ... 



Collector and preserver of specimens at Is. 9d. the hour 

 Providing specimens and incidental expenses 



.£200 0." 



The income was again £200 in 183 7**^, and this sum was continued 

 as the annual allowance up to and after the institution became regularly 

 known as the Australian Museum, certainly until 1846, but was increased 

 shortly afterwards. 



As an instance of the Institution's scanty means is the following : — 

 A letter of 5th October, 1836, is extant, informing the " Superintendent," 

 Dr. George Bennett, that as I'emuueration for the conducting of the 



62 Letter, 47/2709, 31st Marcfi, 1847. 



63 Minutes, 7th July 1840. 



6'* Eaymond's N.S.Wales Calendar and General P.O. Directory, 1833, p. 26(5 ; 

 1834, p. 2f)l ; 1835, p. 405 ; 183(5, p. 190. 



«5 Macarthur — " N.S.Wales; Present State and Future Prospects," 1837, p. 220 

 (Appendix No. 4(5) ; Raymond — Loc. cil., 1837, p. 202. 



