expended according to the work upon which the road. Convicts are engaged; oakum I imagined might be obtained at the Naval Stores made with the - from condemned rope, and re-twisted on a Chinese machine; care would be necessary however that no means were secreted whereby any of the prisoners might effect their escape, but this could easily be arranged by an efficient jailor.
The entire working of the Convicts on the Roads devolved upon myself after the resignation of Mr. Rowden the Road Overseer in May last, as the Civil Engineer and I had to complete a new survey of the entire Town, and in consequence exempted him from other duties; he made preparations for the triangulation and other preliminary services, and had completed some portions of it, but unfortunately he became sick and was unable to give me any data to work from, to enable me to carry on where he had terminated, or lay down the survey on paper from his field notes; I regret very much this circumstance, for so much has been done both Public and private since my own original survey in 1843, that a new map is indispensable; if therefore, circumstances should permit, I shall undertake the task again.
I was confined to the house more than usual by lameness, otherwise I might have rendered assistance to the Civil Engineer in his survey, but unfortunately it was impossible for me to walk or undertake such exercise. The Civil Engineer and Master of Works was invalided on the 30th Sept. and departed for England on leave for twelve months.