Ferdinand von Mueller

13/7/69

Allow me to mention to you, dear Mr Fitzgibbon, that the man, who has rented the toll at the St. Kilda road keeps fowl, and that these have already destroyed two young avenue trees planted this season and injured others.

I appeal now to you, as he has been insolent, when warned to keep his fowl off, and as I shall not be able otherwise to avoid to cause the shooting of the fowl. It seems however in first instance best and most peaceable to solicit, that the City Council may direct their tenant to keep no domestic animals on a public road: for surely these selfish people have no right to keep domestic animals unless they provide special safe enclosures for them. The only effective remedy would however be, that in letting the toll again, a clause should be inserted in the contract forbidding the keeping of all sorts of domestic animals altogether. That alone will root out the evil entirely

I have had disp[utes] with my other neighbours on the same subject one of whom at the Observatory told me that he would shoot me if I shot his fowl even in my ground!

So there is nothing left but extreme measure to put these people into proper bounds, but still I appeal first to you.