366 TRINIDAD. 



competency on the part of those who exercise it, I would call it 

 most preposterous ; but it appears to me to have arisen from a 

 misconceived idea. Men possessed of the special knowledge 

 required for the duty, ought to be intrusted with the management 

 and inspection of public roads ; and, as an instance of what such 

 men can do in this department, I will only mention the results 

 obtained in the County of Victoria, by Sylvestre Devenish, Esq., 

 land surveyor, and holding the office of inspector of roads, in the 

 southern division. It may safely be affirmed, that, before Mr. 

 Devenish was appointed to the inspectorship, there existed no 

 roads in the Naparimas, inasmuch as the communications were im- 

 passable during the whole of the wet season ; whereas good wheel- 

 roads have now been formed throughout nearly the whole district. 



I consider also that the collection of taxes ought to form a 

 distinct department, the wardens being simply and solely the 

 administrators of the wards ; I therefore suggest, as a change, the 

 adoption of the following plan : Of what now forms one undivided 

 administration, I would make three distinct departments ; the 

 management of the roads should be intrusted to qualified in- 

 spectors or surveyors ; the collection of the funds of the wards to 

 local receivers ; and the administration to unpaid wardens, aided 

 by, at least, two assessors. 



Two inspectors of roads might be appointed; one for the 

 northern, and the other for the southern division, at a salary of 

 600 sterling per annum, without any extra allowance. It 

 would be their duty to visit and inspect the roads in their res- 

 pective divisions ; to prepare estimates for the repair of existing 

 roads and bridges, as also for the making and construction of new 

 ones ; they would have charge of the construction of all bridges ; 

 would inspect the work done on roads, and deliver certificates for 

 payment, on approval of the work performed. 



One of their first acts should be to prepare, together with the 

 secretary of the central board of roads and the superintendent of 

 public works, a code of rules and regulations for the management 

 of the public roads. Four local receivers might be appointed, viz., 

 two for the northern, and two for the southern division, at a salary 

 of 500 sterling per annum, without other allowances ; they, 

 however, would be supplied with printed forms and books, and 

 should enter office under security. They would keep the registry 

 of holders of lands and houses, in their respective districts, and be 



