Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot. Garden

20/4/69

When passing to day along the southern side of the Yarra, dear Mr Fitzgibbon, I saw to my utter dismay, that one of the boatbuilders keeps an ass on his premises, and ventured to tether it out on the Yarra-bank! I at once went to him and expressed my extreme dissatisfaction at such a gross act of impropriety, when he assured me that the animal should at once be removed. Since I learn, that he has by two of my employées been previously warned, to take the creature away, and thus I feel myself not longer bound to pass the matter with a mere reprimand, but must crave of you, that you will kindly issue at once instruction for the immediate removal of the animal from the premises he occupies. If this is not done, the brute will most likely be only kept from view and at night be brought out to the plantation. A man who takes it upon himself to bring an animal of the kind mentioned into public recreation ground, is deserving of having his licence cancelled, and I feel convinced that unless these encroachments are nibbed in the bud, it will be hopeless to protect and improve the Yarra plantation. In my opinion the occupation of any public grounds ought to be coupled with the express condition, that no domestic animals of any kind should be kept. This is a good opportunity to bring also under your notice, that the man at the Bathing House after the removal of his goats some time ago brought again goats & I believe it the case also with the woman Mitchell, who sells the refreshments in the park. You perhaps will scarcely credit it, when I say, that the bid of fencing required at the rear of the premises of one of the boatbuilders has not yet been erected,

1

E. FitzGibbon to M, 3 May 1869 , his reply to this letter and to further letters about the keeping of animals (M to E. FitzGibbon, 28 April 1969 and M to E. FitzGibbon, 2 May 1869) reported that an instruction to fence the ground at the boathouse had been countermanded by the Department of Crown Lands.

and that trees planted for the ornamentation of the ground near the steps down from Princes Bridge have thus gone to destruction! I trust you will support me in suppressing such a spirit of indifference, audacity and disobedience as manifested in the acts just related.