126.
"hardwood" and materials generally?
30. The works proceeded, and were hardly completed by the Governor's return on the 8 December 1871. The account, submitted to us, shewing a expenditure of $15,990.00, are so mixed up as to render it impossible to state what belongs to the special item of "reconstruction of roof" and what belongs to the other works connected with it, but carried out during the progress of the work. As an instance of the difficulties experienced by us in this matter, it may be mentioned that after we had received an account purporting to show the whole cost of the works, we discovered by the merest accident that Government materials of the value of $9,216 had to be added to the account previously given. We think that we should not have been misinformed. The account remains admittedly and misleading.
31. On investigation, we find that the Government Steam Fire Engine was not needed, as it was allowed by the Lieutenant Governor, not for watering the sods of the dam of the Reservoir, but for keeping moist the puddle and bank in order to consolidate it. The former work would have only necessary a few hours and would have permitted the Engine to