Journal entry – John Grey – 17 Jan 1834

Thursday 17th January 



Received the Boards Minutes & wrote several letters to Parties referred to therein.  Also to persons who are offerers for farms, with whom I wished to have explanations. Bargained with Mr Hedley for the Hartburngrainge Lot of Wood at £80, which is exactly Mr Parkin’s calculation, & I conceive it to be a correct one, as the purchaser showed me his which was £76.  He is to pay £40 in a fortnight, & to give a Bill for the remaining £40 payable in March 1835, at which time the Wood is to be all cut and removed.  I then accompanied Marshall, a builder for whom I had sent, that he might give me an idea for the cost of the House according to the Plan sent down by Mr Hay, along with Benson to see the Site of the House, situation of the Quarry & other Materials.  They are of opinion that such a House would absorb all the allowance & leave nothing, or at least not an adequate Sum for erecting the appurtenances.  I have in consequence set Benson to make a new Plan upon a reduced Scale, but which will embrace all the essential convenience and accommodation of the former.   Of this Marshall will give me his calculation of the Cost, & if approved by the Board, it may be submitted to three or four builders to contract for.  The elaborate Plans of Mr Hay could not have been used as working plans after all, for he has not made the walls substantial enough for our strong materials & rough climate, so that the dressed Stonework of the Doors & windows would be altered, & with strong walls, much less of bond timber or wall plates are wanted.   I then went along to the Site of the Saw Mill, to see the proceedings of the party in making their cut for the water course & tail race. The wood to be cut down has been cut down and measured & valued by Parkin at £51:5:6 which price the Party engage to pay in November.