In 1870, he was appointed as Daisanji (second to a governor) (position of Karo 〔chief retainers〕) of the domain of Tonami, but his real income was small compared to the total number of feudal retainers of domain, so Hiroshi went through a lot and had no other way than putting out his sister Sakiko (later, Sutematsu) for adoption to Hakodate City in almost the same way as reducing the mouths to feed.
明治3年（1870年）に斗南藩の大参事（家老職）となるが、藩士総数に対して実収は少なく、浩自身も妹・咲子（後の捨松）を函館市に口減らし同然に里子に出すなどの苦労を重ねる。