Report and Estimate N.22 of 1883 for the construction of a Nullah from Battery Road to the Praya, called in your despatch N.68 11th May last.
2. I think the information now supplied by Mr Mercer will satisfy you that the Contract entered into by me for the construction of this work at the Government expense was a wise one. Land in the neighbourhood was about to be put up to public auction. The Nullah was not only indispensable for the security of several of the Lots about to be sold, but was necessary for the drainage of the entire district. The Government had therefore simply the choice between doing the work itself, and leaving it to be executed by the purchasers of the adjoining lots; and experience had shown the prudence of adopting the former course.
And if left to the Tenants, it would, like all work executed piecemeal by a number of persons, have been badly done, and an abatement...