IHK Al'SIKAMAN MI'SKIM KAHI.V HlST(il!V Kill Kl; I In ; K. :U\'.) 



Museum on the part of piivati- indi\ idiials s.i inmli as tlitiir foreknow loilj^e 

 tliat a iuouiIkm' of tlic .loiior's t'aiiiily wmild lia\c tlif sj)erial privilt^f^e ami 

 l)0\vt>r (if wati'liiii'^f over llio mannci' in wliicli liis intt'ntioii.s iiii^^lit lie 

 carried into i-IIVid. Within (lio last ten yt-ars jji-operty to tlin amount <>f 

 lialf a million sterliii;^ is statc^d to have b«>('n liestowcd on thn liritisli 



Musoum Your Sul>-('ommitteH think that tliH Secretary 



of the Museum should t>c a jiaiil officer, and that his office and all 

 subordinate employments should l)e in the »;ift of the Trustees. In the 

 present infant state of ' the Australian Museum' it is presumed that its 

 division into two Departments, each under the superintendence of a 

 Oiu-ator would be sufficient — that is, a Dei>artm(Mit of Science, and another 

 of Literatiu-e and Art " 



This exceedingly compi-elieiisive repoi't was signed by Capt. P. P. 

 King, Mr. W. Sliarp Macleay, and Ur. George Witt. It was accompanied 

 by a draft of : — 



" A Bill to incorporate and endow the Australian Museum." 



On the loth January, 18531-^, the Draft was adopted by tlie Committee 

 and ordered to be transmitted to the Governoi'-Cieneral [Sir C. A. 

 Fitzroy]. It was duly passed by the Legislative Council on 2;)rd June, 

 1853, and signed at Government House, on 4th July, 1853, the signatories 

 being : — 



"Charles Nicholson, Speaker, Wm. Macpherson, Clerk of the Council, and Chs. 

 A. Fitz Koy, Governor General' -*'." 



And was presented to the now Trustees at their meeting on 9th 

 July, 185313^1 



This Bill, which remained intact until 1902, need not be quoted at 

 length, but it may be as well to indicate briefly some of its privileges and 

 the absolute control of their own affairs it conferred on the Trustees : — 

 The Body Corporate to consist of twent^'-four Trustees, twelve Official 

 and twelve Elective ; vacancies amongst the latter moiety to be tilled by 

 the election of " such other tit and proper persons " b}' the general body ; 

 five to form a quornmi-^i . j^q power to alienate, mortgage, charge or 

 demise, any lands or tenements without the consent of the Governor and 

 Executive Council ; permanent endowment of £1,000 per annum ; power 

 to appoint and dismiss all servants of the Institution ; to have the entii'e 

 management of all its affairs, conceinis and property ; power to make, 

 alter, or repeal " By-laws, Rules and Orders ;" at least once a year, or 

 whenever the Governor shall signify his pleasure to that effect, "report 

 their proceedings^-^-," the same to belaid before the Legislative CouiiciU'^^; 

 and accounts of expenditure to be furnished annually. 



i2« Minutes, 13th January, 1853. 



1-^9 Act 17, Victoria No. ii., 4th July, 1853. 



ISO Minutes, 9th July, 1853. 



131 Still the rule. The first record of an election mentioned on the Minutes was 

 that of Committeeman Dr. Archibald Shanks, proposed V)y Dr. Loftus Ifartwell to 

 take the place of Dr. W. Dawson (Minutes, 12th August, 1848.) 



1S2 In other words the Annual Report. 



13:! Now before the House of Assembly and Legislative Council. 



