CO129-028 - Bonham - 1849 [1-3] — Page 333

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employ with advantage

on several streets

and road in Victoria. The granite here is not difficult to break, and although the kind of work is new to them, I should soon arrive at the quantity I should do. It has been a habit with

every

very

of the men to create cutaneous eruptions, that they might be exempt from work, there being real hard labour;

I consider them fit subjects for hard labour;

I have lately begun to collect and break stones,

to which employment I place the laziest of the gang;

"I beg leave to suggest the foregoing propositions for work inside the Gaol, as I think it would be found advantageous;

the expence if any

for

......

the

I do not think would be felt,

of the articles might be sold and all used with advantage, so that it would not be an ultimate loss to the Government for the supply of the materials.

I at one time thought of proposing

that the convict tools, such as pickaxes,

wheelbarrows, etc. should be repaired in the gaol,

but I believe there are few artisans in the gaol, and much danger might accrue if these men were allowed blacksmiths and carpenters' tools, for they might manufacture and conceal house-breaking implements, with which an escape from the Gaol might be effected. I am however of opinion that the service would be benefited if a paid blacksmith and Carpenter were added to my establishment; they would have ample employment repairing the convict tools, executing slight repairs to Government Buildings, which are frequently called for, and should be executed immediately; a monthly

frequent examination might be made by myself of all the Civil Buildings, and the necessary repairs pointed out to the

I am sure would be a saving

of expenses, and enable me to execute the

smallest