The following government advertisement demonstrates how obsessed Tasmanian rural communities were with road building and maintenance for the first 150 years of white settlement. There were frequent complaints to council of the great potholes, the mud quagmires that turned into gluepots capable of swallowing a horse and jinker, the collapsed culverts and bridges, and generally rough corrugated gravel roads. Even the control of blackberry on the verges ate into budgets. At any time, the stone carting, breaking and laying and concreting of culverts provided off-farm employment to many small-scale road contractors and labourers. In Depression times, road works proved a blessing as a way for government to support unemployed men.
The second lot of sales notices reflects life before the anthropocene and the ethic of "waste nothing." Recycling through many owners of the strong wooden furniture of those days was common. "Going around the sales" was part of the job of some men like furniture restorers and the pastime of many buyers and sellers, collectors and idlers.
(I have selected road notices for Lilydale district only. There are dozens more.)
GOVERNMENT NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Tenders will be received until 10 a.m. at the Public Works Office, Hobart (where specifications can be seen), to the following works;
Road -- To Warren's, Freeman's, and others- -Contract 330. Specifications at Post-office, Lower Turner's Marsh ; and Council Chambers, Lefroy.
Road -- Woods' to Industry-Road -- Contract 331. Specifications at Post-office, Lower Piper; and Council Chambers, Lefroy.
Road -- Whitchurch's, Jasperson's, and others--Contract 596. Specifications at Post-office, Turners Marsh; and Council Chambers, Lilydale.
Road -- Tunnel-road to Geiss', Underline's and others--- Contract 603. Specifications at Post-office, Tunnel ; and Council Chambers, Lilydale.
Road -To Young's, Denman's, and others -- Contract 337. Specifications at Post office, George Town; and and Council Chambers, Lefroy.
Road -- Lilydale to Lebrina — Contract 613 Specifications at Post-office. Lebrina ; and Council Chambers, Lilydale.
Road -- To Smith's. Pierce's, and others. Lower Turner's Marsh -- Contract 239. Specifications at Post Office, Lower Turner's Marsh ; and Council Chambers, Lefroy.
Road -- Goulee's, Hudson's, and others (branch to Orr's) — Contract 599. Specifications at Post Office, Underwood;
and Council Chambers, Lilydale.
F. MULCAHY ,
Minister of Lands and Works.
AUCTION SALES
W. T. BELL AND CO., LIMITED.
FORTHCOMlNG SALES.
NEWSTEAD. — Every Tuesday, fat and store stock.
MART. — Every Friday, skins, hides, and carcass pork. MART. — Every Saturday, dairy produce, furniture, and general.
CRESSY. — Thursday, February 36.
NEWSTEAD HOTEL. — Furniture, Thursday, Feb. 2d.
ULVERSTONE.— Thursday, Feb. 20.
LONGFORD. — Furniture, Friday, Feb. 27.
COOEE HORSE SALE. — Friday, February 27.
Advertising (1914, February 26). Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 - 1928), p. 8. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152507533