362 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



reA^eals the growing dissatisfaction on the part of the Committee at the 

 slow progress made b\" the Contractors, nature of tlie work done, and the 

 excess of cost over estimate. This was exphained by Mr. Lewis as due to 

 the advance in wages and cost of material ovei^ those ruling in 1845. The 

 items of excess were thus shown : — 



" Orijxinal Estimate .£3000 



Additional masonry in basement ... ... ... .£588 



Increased rate of wages and materials ... ... 2250 2838 



^5838 " 



So grave, indeed, had matters become in connection with the erection 

 of this edifice that they came under the notice of the Executive Conucil : — 



" Summary of Proceedings of the Executive Council on the 22ud May, 1849, 

 relative to the Estimates prepared by the Colonial Architect for building 

 the Cemetery Wall and the Museum." Minute Nos. 49/21." 



After the perusal of documents and examination of witnesses, tlie 

 Council recorded its opinion in these words. Tlie estimates : — 



" for the building in question, and especially for the Cemetery WaU, were 

 prepared loosely and without taking into consideration the nature of the 

 ground on which they were to he erected. It is also clear that the 

 Colonial Architect was fully aware that the cost of the buildings at the 

 rate at which the first contracts were taken would vastly exceed that stated 

 in his estimate, but that he did not m any way bring this fact under the 

 notice of tlie Government when the acceptance of the Tenders was under 

 consideration, so far as to afford any ojiportunity of deferring the com- 

 mencement of the work until the increased expenditure should have been 

 sanctioned by the Legislative Council. In these particulars at least the 

 Council are of opinion that the conduct of the Colonial Architect was 

 highly reprehensible, and that His Excellency the Governor would he 

 pleased to instruct the Colonial Architect to furnish detailed statements 

 of expenses incurred in the construction of the Museum, from the first 

 commencement up to the present day, such accounts to be thawn up in the 

 usual form of a debtor and creditor account." 



In tlie meantime (1st September, 1849) the Committee deputed a 

 few of the members to wait u])on the Governor (Sir Cliai-les A. Fitzroy) 

 to urge upon His Kxeellency the immediate necessity of a further grant of 

 £1,000 to complete the roof. 



On 6th September, 1849, the Colonial Secretary (Honorable E. Ueas 

 Thomson) addressed a letter to the Committee expressing tlie wish of the 

 Governor: — 



"That the Museum Committee should form themselves into a Board to 

 ascertain the amount of the debt which had been incurred in the erection 

 of the Colonial Museum over and above the sum voted by the Legislative 



Council of the work actually performed whether it tallied 



witli the vouchers and accounts sent in by the (Toverninent. and to report 

 what amount may })e justly due to the Contractors, as well as the sum 

 that will l)e nnpiirc'd in excess of the Supplementary Vote for 1849 and the 

 Vote for 18r)0, to i)lace the l)uil<ling in such a state as tc secure it from 

 damage from bad weather." 



A statement of the sums (lisl)iii\se(i, in accordance with the above, 

 was duly furnished by the Colonial .Aicliitect on the lOtli September, and 

 by the Auditor (Mr. William Mtligow) on the Tith September. In 



