Ferdinand von Mueller

2/4/67.

Dear Mr Smith

Since you as a leading member of the City Magistracy have all along evinced such an interest in improvement on municipal grounds I beg to enclose this report to you.

1

See W. Smith to M, 1 April 1867.

Is it really impossible for the City Council to abandon the land near to mine as pasture ground? & are the residents allowed near to it to turn their animals into any public plantation with impunity? If the old fence on the Yarra towards Richmond was sold, it would furnish fund to secure the punt road properly against goats &c & for a mere trifle a few nice paths could be struck out through the grassland between the Cricket Ground & Punt road; these,—if the corporation would have sunk holes at 5d or 6d each—, could be planted easily in May or at the end of April with Avenue trees, which [I] could then but not subsequently furnish. Pray take also kindly into consideration, whether the old wooden unsightly cottage should be moved, now occupied by the woman selling fruit. It is a great eye sore at the beautiful bridge; besides she keeps the neighbourhood of the place so untidy and has generally goats dogs &c at large. I think it would be far better to have such a fruit-booth constructed of Brick & if a small building was constructed on the City Councils expense it could be let at a weekly rental & would bring a fair return. The building should now be constructed nearer to the Railway station & on the other side of the path. I would also ask for a grant of fifteen (£15.- .-) to plant the approach to the iron-bridge; but this would of course be an useless attempt unless the cattle are permanently removed.

The man at the bathing House should, in my opinion, have order to provide a small low enclosure for any goats he may keep. He has for years allowed — in defiance of my orders — to keep the 2 or 3 creatures, he has, at large, & thus roaming into my reserve. All this hinders my own operations, and this, I am certain, the City Council does not wish.

If any plantations are in the Yarra park to be effected it will need immediate action & if the City Council not likes to expend fund for the purpose the fence might at least be secured by the sale of the portion not wanted now, the cattle be removed, the police be instructed to keep the goats &c from Punt road & the area thus no longer incumbered be entrusted to my administration. I would then annually furnish to the City Council a report on the subject

2

Smith attended a meeting of the Melbourne City Council Health Committee on 28 May 1867 'and requested to be informed what decision had been come to in respect to Doctor Muellers letter in reference to Yarra Park. The Committee resolved that in compliance with Doctor Muellers suggestion the House should be whitewashed and a small yard enclosed but that the cattle cannot be removed from the Park.' (Unit 1, VPRS 4039, Public Record Office, Victoria).

Let me remain, dear Mr Smith, your regardful