VPRS 962 Outward Letter Books (Colonial Engineer) to the Colonial Secretary

The first Clerk of Works, responsible for the construction, maintenance, rental and furnishing of public buildings was appointed in 1837. This office continued to be responsible for these functions until 1851 and separation from New South Wales, when the former Clerk of Works, Henry Ginn, became Colonial Architect. By October 1852 a Colonial Engineer had been appointed and appears to have exercised joint responsibility with the Colonial Architect for the construction, maintenance, rental and furnishings of public buildings and was responsible for roads and bridges and other public works with the Superintendent of Bridges. An amalgamation of the functions of the Colonial Architect and of the Colonial Engineer occurred by 1854 with the position of Colonial Architect no longer existing. The Colonial Engineer and the Central Road Board (VA 2803) continued as the major public works authorities until the appointment of the Commissioner of Public Works in 1855This series contains the outwards correspondence of the Colonial Engineer addressed to the Colonial Secretary. Matters included requests for authorisation to pay vouchers, reports on potential building sites, the progress of current projects and proposals for future works.The former unit 3 of this series is now registered as VPRS 12114 Outward Letter Book (Colonial Engineer) and the former Unit 4 is now registered as VPRS 12115 Outward Correspondence (Colonial Engineer) (1853-1854); Summary of Works (1856-1857). Both these series provide copies of the other more general correspondence of the Colonial Engineer with other Government Departments and officials, contractors and subordinates.

1837年，英国首次任命公共建筑事务监督（First Clerk of Works），负责公共建筑的建造、维护、租赁与陈设工作。该职位直至1851年始终承担上述职能，当年该辖区脱离新南威尔士（New South Wales），时任公共建筑事务监督亨利·金（Henry Ginn）就任殖民建筑师（Colonial Architect）。
至1852年10月，殖民工程师（Colonial Engineer）一职正式任命，其似乎与殖民建筑师共同负责公共建筑的建造、维护、租赁与陈设事务，同时还会同桥梁总监（Superintendent of Bridges）主管道路、桥梁及其他公共工程。
1854年，殖民建筑师与殖民工程师的职能完成合并，殖民建筑师一职自此撤销。殖民工程师与中央道路委员会（Central Road Board，档案编号VA 2803）作为核心公共工程主管机构，持续履职至1855年公共工程专员（Commissioner of Public Works）上任为止。
本档案系列包含殖民工程师致殖民大臣（Colonial Secretary）的外发函件，所涉事项包括支付凭证核准申请、潜在建筑场址调研报告、在建项目进度报告以及未来工程提案。
本系列原第3单元现登记为VPRS 12114《殖民工程师外发函件簿》，原第4单元现登记为VPRS 12115《殖民工程师外发函件（1853-1854）；工程汇总（1856-1857）》。上述两个系列均收录了殖民工程师与其他政府部门、官员、承包商及下属之间的各类通用往来函件副本。