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In carrying out country works and works in distant towns, it is my practice to employ local builders (or architects when obtainable) as inspectors, to see that the specifications and plans are faithfully carried out. And I desire to direct especial attention to this fact, because complaint has been made in a local newspaper that the Post Office and Telegraph Station at Arrowtown, in the Province of Otago, had suffered through Dot employing local professional men ; whereas, the only architect known to mc in the district was applied to, accepted the appointment of inspector, and all moneys were paid on his certificate. To give some idea of the amount of work that has passed through my hands during the year, I may state that if the work had been performed by a private architect, the commissions would have amounted to £4,574 lis. 6d.; besides which, considerable sums have been earned by other architects for works that would have passed through the Department but for the pressure before referred to. On referring back, I find that the first year I entered the Government service, the commissions on the work done, if paid for to private architects, would have amounted to £1,686 lis.; the second year to £2,249 3s. 6d.; the third year to £1,267 Is.; and the last or fourth year, as before stated, to £4,574 lis. 6d. In addition to my professional duties, for the last eighteen months I have performed those of the Overseer of Domains, in consequence of that officer being dispensed with. The knowledge that finishing the buildings to time rested as it were upon my shoulders, and that the failure of doing so would prevent the meeting of Parliament at the proper time, besides subjecting the contractors to heavy penalties, caused mc considerable anxiety; and it was only by real hard work that I was able to supply the necessary drawings and information to the contractors, which has resulted in the completion of a large amount of work in a comparatively short time. I have endeavoured in this Report to show that my services have been year by year a large saving of money to the Colony. W. H. Clayton, Wellington, New Zealand, July, 1873. Colonial Architect.

By Authority: Giobqb Diesbuet, Goicrnment Printer, Wellington—lB73. [Price 3d.}

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