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Superintendent of the Gardens and Free Planting, but in reality reopening the headache - the whole question as to who should be the head of the Botanical Department of the Colony.
2. That question was fully considered last year and decided in the Executive Council, and I specially invited the attention of the Legislative Council to it also on the 6th of November 1879. I laid before the Legislative Council the Governor's minutes of the year 1872 and Mr. Price's letters of 1876 and 1877; and the Council unanimously approved of the restoration of the separate Department over which Mr. Ford presides.
3. The history of this question which Mr. Price professes to give is not accurate. The simple facts are that on his arrival in this Colony in 1873, Mr. Price found Mr. Ford the Head of the Gardens and Plantations Department. Governor Sir Richard MacDonnell, in his minutes on the question, had said:
"9th January, 1879.
"Mr Austin - I am not aware of any reason why Mr. Ford's Department should not be altogether withdrawn from the nominal control of Surveyor General. The interposition of the latter officer as an organ of communication with the Government