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[Page 12]
than the bare ground, they generally consist of two rooms, and the furniture coincides with them. But of late the building of houses has much improved, particularly in the metropolis. The walls are boarded and painted without, and plastered within, the windows glazed, and the roof shingled. They are mostly only one story, though it seems that upper ones are aimed at, as we have a few lately so built. There are some of stone walls. No doubt, but if lime was as plentiful as stone this would be the chiefest sort of building. At the commencement of the colony several brick houses were built, and the roofs tiled, but that method is now out of use. What is called weather-boarding is most preferred; and if saw mills were erected it would still be more so, as building would be much cheaper. The outhouses barns &c of the farmers are miserable looking sheds, if we except a few that have been built by people who had money to lay out.
The best public building in the colony is a new church at Parramatta, which is not yet finished. Another is also begun at Sydney, at which place there is a good gaol, which is but lately finished. One is begun at Parramatta but upon a smaller scale. But