Another bit of old news - but not meant to encourage discussion about current times and only posted to demonstrate how little changes over 200 years In a letter from Governor Macquarie to the Secretary of State, Liverpool Public road from Sydney to the Hawkesbury --------------------------------------------------- In the Seventh Paragraph of my despatch, dated the twenty-seventh of October, 1810, I informed Your Lordship that I had it in contemplation to form a regular public road between the town of Sydney and the River Hawkesbury, leading thro' the town of Parramatta, and the intermediate inhabited Parts of the Country, the whole being a distance of nearly forty miles; I have now the honour to inform Your Lordship that this road was completed, so far as the town of Parramatta, being a distance of sixteen miles, and opened as a Turnpike Road on the tenth of April last, two Toll Bars having been previously erected thereon, under the usual regulations which were published by Proclamation on the thirtieth of last March, a copy of which I now transmit for Your Lordship's inspection and approbation. Road from Sydney to Parramatta -------------------------------------- The road, so far as is yet finished, is a remarkably good one, and proves a very material accommodation and benefit, both to the inhabitants of Sydney and Parramatta, and to those of all the surrounding country, who were nearly secluded from all intercourse by the almost impassable state of the old road. Road from Parramatta to Windsor --------------------------------------- The continuation of this line of road from Parramatta to Windsor (the new name which I have recently given to the principal settlement on the banks of the Hawkesbury) is now in considerable forwardness, and will be finished, I expect, in the course of four or five months from the present time. When completed, I mean to establish it as a Turnpike Road in the same manner as I have already opened the road between this place and Parramatta. The advantages to the country at large from this already communication will be felt full as sensibly as they have been on the line already opened, the old road having been, if possible, worse than that between Sydney and Parramatta. Public appreciation of the roads ------------------------------------ The rate of toll established on the Parramatta Road has been on so moderate a scale that no murmur or complaint has ever been raised against it, the people feeling much pleased and happy with the accommodation thus afforded them, and the facility with which they can now travel on foot or on horseback, in carts or carriages, from one part of the country to another. Road to be made from Sydney to Liverpool ------------------------------------------------ When the road to Windsor shall be finished, I purpose commencing a similar road from Sydney to the new town of Liverpool, being distance of about twenty miles. In the vicinity of this latter town I have lately made a very considerable number of grants of land to small settlers, who prove very industrious, and I trust will be highly beneficial to the country by the clearing and cultivating forest lands. Roads paid for by loans from police fund ---------------------------------------------- The expense attending the construction of these public roads, which has been very considerable, has been paid out of the Colonial Police Fund; and this Fund arises principally from the duty of three Shillings per gallon which I have laid on all spirits imported into this Country. This advance from the Police Fund may be properly considered as a loan from it, for it is to be repaid by the amount of Tolls levied at the Turnpike Gates, after deducting the salaries paid to the Gate Keepers etc, which is regularly paid into the hands of the Treasurer of the Police Fund, and is so considerable, as not only to pay the interest of the money so advanced, but also to leave a considerable surplus for the reduction of the principal itself. Source HRA Vol VII Regards Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html