•I'lIR ATSIRALUN MI'SKI'M EARl.V HISTOI.'V Fill KIM Ih IK. 893 



However, on the 2Stli April, 1864, a change came o'er tlie scene, 

 noUiing less than a complete siin'Oiulcr on the ptirt of the anthotiiies, in 

 these words'-"" : — 



"The Crown Law Oflicers, who have heen consulted on the point, h:iv<' a«lvis*Ml 

 that the Ottice of Curator slmuM he left in the hands of the Trustees of 

 the Museum." 



The Trustees naturally expiesseil their gratification-''*^ that the 

 Executive Council had at last recognised as a ])rinciple the position they 

 had so long maintained. Their letter concludes with these words: — 



"The Ti-ustees have had no hesitation in electinj^ Mr. Cierar<l Krelft who lias 

 been in sole chari^e of the Museum since Au-^ust, IHfJl, (having heen 

 also enij^a^ed as Assistant since June, 18(50), and has durin<^ the whole of 

 this period •'iveu the uiost satisfactory evidence of energy, ability, and 

 enthusiasm, in his work-""." 



At the same time an Assistant-Curator of " considerable practical 

 experience in the person of Mr. George Masters " was appointed-"^'. 



About the middle of 1861 the Trustees were appealed to by the 

 Commissioners of the International Exhibition to be held in London in 

 1862 for co-operation in the supply of specimens of Natural History. 

 The Tx'ustees declined to assist, and offered the Commissioners a very 

 sensible piece of advice-"^, viz.: — 



"Send into the interior persons properly qualified to collect and arrange 

 Zoological and Mineralogical Specimens." 



A survival, at the present time, is that of a rule passed in November, 

 1861, through the instrumentality of Alfred Roberts, Esq., by which no 

 servant of the Trust is allow^ed to sell or otherwise deal in' specimens or 

 collections such as are represented in the Museum. 



The year 1862 was remarkable for the number of changes that took 

 place on the Board. The seat of John Hay, P]sq., M.L.A., lapsed in 

 January-'''-, but he was re-elected in Mai^ch-'"^ to succeed Charles 

 Nicholson, whose seat had lapsed in the previous February, Mr. Hay's 

 position becoming occupied by Edward Smith Hill, Esq., in March'-"*, 



40.64 



->8" Documents 64/2290 and B.B. 



14 



64 

 2fis Document B.B. j^; Letter-book, ii., p. 156, 5th May, 1864. The full 



correspondence will be found in the "Votes and Proceedings" — "Curator of 



Australian Museum (correspondence respecting appointment of)," ;55A., 1862. 



2fi9 Annual Report for 1864 (1865), pp. 1 and 2. 



-'" Minutes, 2nd June, 1864; Letter-book, ii., p. 155. 



2"! ,, 6th June, 1861. 



'^•?2 ,, 2nd January, 1862 ; Annual Report for 1862 (1863-4), p. 1. 



•i" ,, 6th March, 1862; Letter-book, ii., p. 49. 



-'* ,, „ ,, „ ,, .. ii-, P- 48. 



