Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne botanic Garden,

5 Febr. 64

Sir

I have the honor to bring under your consideration, that in consequence of the temporary concession granted to Mr Harcourt to use a small portion of the reserve near the City bridge as pasture for the Cows of the Immigrants home, almost daily inconveniences & loss of labor arises to the man employed at the reserve, and that only by vigilance at almost every hour of day and night the plantations in the reserve can be protected against the invasion of the cattle. As a large number of really very valuable trees have been planted in the reserve, I consider it my duty for the protection of the Government property to solicit of the honorable the Board of Land & Works that the permission (temporary given) to depasture cattle in the reserve may be withdrawn. For whilst I should be very sorry to see the inmates of the home deprived of so essential a nutriment as milk, I cannot but feel that a more eligible spot might be granted as pasture ground to the Immigrants Home, than that now occupied. Indeed the temporary occupation of this ground has stood all along in the way of the contemplated improvements & has deprived me of the opportunity of planting the richest part of the reserve, which is moreover the nearest to the City bridge and requiring most the cover of trees to screen the buildings of the Home and to render it, what it might be, one of the most picturesque places in future near the city.

I may add, that the want of control over the cows has been repeatedly but unsuccessfully been brought under the notice of those at the home, who should exercise the needful surveillance.

If the cows kept now at the Home cannot be permanently removed, I fear, the object for which the Governments very considerately some years ago relinquished the reserve as a general cattle run and sacrificed thus the revenue formerly arising from it in favor of rendering it a park both readier accessible than the botanic Garden & available for the promenades to the future Government house, will ever be defeated.

Clem Hodgkinson Esq

Assistant Commiss. of Lands & Survey

&c &c &c

P.S. It seems hardly fair, that the only man, whom my means permit to employ at the park, should after his 10 hours daily labourious work also be under the necessity of watching the cows of the Immigrants home at early morning night or evening hours.

1

On 9 February 1864, Hodgkinson minuted: 'I beg to recommend that Mr Harcourt be made aware of this complaint and informed that if after this date any further complaint be made by Dr Mueller with regard to the trespass of the cows on the land outside of the Immigrants Home fence, the permission to keep cows must be withdrawn'. On 10 February, Richard Heales, Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, approved Hodgkinson's recommendation, and Harcourt was duly informed.

See also M to C. Hodgkinson, 20 February 1864, and notes thereto.