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Camping of the duties of the Approdtiment while the new office is in temporary cause of erection, a wooden building at a cost of $3,200. has been put up on the nearest available site, which is rented for $20 per mensem.
I trust that this information is sufficiently full to enable Your Lordship to judge of the urgent necessity of adopting the course which has been followed in this matter. Had proper care and attention been devoted to the foundations of the former building, there is no question that the great expense now entailed would not have been incurred. However, I have had to deal with the difficulty, and very great consideration has been given to all the details with a view to the work being thoroughly substantially executed in a proper manner.
10.
I have to add that when preparing the Estimates for 1873, I was led to believe that $15,000 would be spent upon the foundations of the Office in 1872. Owing to the exorbitant rates at which the contractors tendered for this work, delay ensued in beginning the works,