Nelson Provincial Gazette – 1868 – No. 21

Page 138

✨ Provincial Engineer's Report

101

New Court House and Lock-up at Westport.—These buildings, with some additions to the original design have now been completed and occupied for several months.

I believe we shall have to still further extend the accommodation at the lock-up, or gaol, which has been reported as insufficient.

Some provisions also must be made for increasing materially the hospital accommodation.

Plans and specifications were sent from Nelson for a new Custom-house at Westport, which building is now in course of erection.

A considerable length of new road has been opened in the Buller-valley, but one or two rocky places still require to be passed over; one at Hawkscray, and the other at Ohika Hill. Were these completed as intended, the horse-road would thus be available from Westport, by way of the Inangahua, into the Little Grey, thence to Cobden. I should strongly urge the completion of this work. The road is now completed from Nelson to the Lyell on the north bank, and thence to the Inangahua on the south bank.

[Substantial] improvements have been made in the roads of the Upper Buller. The dray-road has been extended to the Howard store, and the existing roads in the worst places been cleared and widened, and metalled where necessary. Much, however, yet remains to be done, and many repairs have been rendered necessary by the frequent floods of last season; one of which, unexampled in height, carried away entirely a cart-bridge erected over the Upper Buller. This structure while it stood, was of the greatest service, and means must be taken to restore it on some well-selected site, where it will be free from any future damage.

The road to the Grey by the Maruia Plains was entirely blocked up by trees blown down by a gale of wind. A party has been at work on this for some time, and the line has been much improved in many places, by means of deviations judiciously selected on better ground.

During the same gale the road through the Big Bush was also blocked up in the same way, but was promptly opened again by a party sent expressly for the purpose.

I have left unreported the execution of many smaller works of minor importance, a description of which would only needlessly lengthen this report. I am now preparing a list of public works, and an approximate estimate of their cost, proposed for execution during the ensuing year, and will forward the same at the earliest opportunity for the approval of his Honour the Superintendent.

I have, &c.,

JOHN BLACKETT,
Provincial Engineer.

Printed under the authority of the Provincial Government, Nelson, by CHARLES ELLIOTT, Trafalgar-street, Nelson, Printer for the time being to the said Government.