Topic: Letters from my great grand father

[piersdad]

after 130 years in a copy book i have discovered  copies of letters written by my great grand father  Francis Henery Edgecumbe.
At the time 1871 to 1875 he was a roading engineer in the waikato district central north island New Zealand
He was a surveyer by trade and did many of the original serveys in New Zealand.

one last entry i have rewriten here.


P.H.O Newcastle.
February 19th 1877
Sir,
Having served 4 ˝ years in the
PH Department with out being absent
from my duties, I have the honor  herewith to
apply for a months leave of absence. Dating from
the 1 st march. I should feel extremely obliged if
you recommend this application to the engineer in
Chief for his favorable consideration, as in the
Event of his granting it. I shall have a month
(on pay) to look about me for some other engagement.
As it is probable that some one will be
Required for surveying and supervision of A.C. -work?-
On the taupo road. After the expiration of my
Time I should be very glad to be re-appointed but at a larger salary than I am now in receipt of
Pay  250 (pounds) per annum

Will you kindly ask the engineer in chief
Of telegraph if this application is granted, other wise nearly half of next month will be gone before I get an answer.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient servant
F.H.Edgecumbe

A.C.Turner Engr.
District engineer,
Tauranga


so having gone on to survey the taupo road

My great grand father would have surveyed the road past a holding (farm) called ‘Tutira’
On the Napier Taupo road and a book about it mentions that on the horse trails that were there, before my great grand father surveyed the road, were various loops on the tracks caused by obstructions.
One the writer mentioned was where a horse died on the track and all succeeding horsemen and their pack loads made a large deter from the stench.
As time passed the loop became a permanent feature and the dead horse body long gone.
As this loop was the easiest way round the hill it became a permanent path and later when the road was constructed with pick and shovel the road continued to have a loop in it till much later when it was up graded
The author also writes -- ‘I recollect the main obstacles just as in some hind must, ages ago, have marked the trivial difficulties that account for the meanderings of an English path betwixt village and village—