VPRS 4552 Index to Correspondence from Road Engineers

Full description

The Central Road Board (VA 2803) was established circa March 1853 with responsibility for the formation, construction, improvement, management and maintenance of proclaimed main roads and bridges and for the co-ordination of the works undertaken by the District Road Boards. The primary officers were the Secretary, Treasurer and an Inspector-General of Roads. The Central Road Board was abolished on 1 January 1858 and succeeded by the Department of Roads and Bridges (VA 2964) which operated under the statutory control of the Board of Land and Works (VA 744).

Road Engineers were located in provincial centres and responsible for the execution of contracts, supervision of contractors, and the forwarding of payments, specifications, estimates and plans. This series provides an index to the correspondence received at the Central Road Board, probably at the office of the Inspector-General of Roads, from the Engineers located in the field. Double folios were allocated to each Engineer and headed with his name and location. Listed below, in consecutive numerical order, the date and subject of each piece of correspondence received.

The actual inwards correspondence of the Central Road Board does not appear to have survived. However, the original texts of some of this correspondence may be found in a number of series made up of the Outwards Letter Books of the Road Engineer at a variety of locations. Replies may be found in VPRS Outward Letter Books, Inspector-Generals Branch or in VPRS 1125 Outwards Correspondence with Road Engineers, Inspector-Generals Branch.