New Zealand, 1870, A South Island city of 30,000 the most populous with a port that, although cargo lists are documented, do not appear to contain the order to supply specific materials that, at the time were not  available in this newly acquired lands England fought Maori to earn shared governance over, Maori being well versed in warfare and intellect.

A site was located and an aasylum accomodating 500 souls was built, by architect Henry Lawson.

See seacliffe mental asylum on Google for pics of this magnificent accomplishment of its time, and the work involved in those days in a place with a new gum-digging or gold mining nation of migrants who were breaking in rugged ground for farms, roads forestry etc, so thus asylum to have been one of the approximate 50 major structures Architect Lawson was completing in this hard country per year (average approximate) 1869 70 71 seems and is nothing short of complete fiction in my view. 1 a week then to travel to each site would take that long! .

So the question is...why have stories of fiction like this been allowed to go unquestioned by those in the field of architecture  as history.

A man mr Black in Australia seems to have performed similar miracles in a place at a time where skilled labour and craftsmen of Supreme knowledge unlikely. 

Keep in mind when looking at acquirable facts, who made them available! Instead look at them from Architects requirements, materials available etc. Seacliffe, apparently 6million bricks killed on site from local materials. Big job!