33054-006938

[marginalia] 50/4084 .... 50/9893 ... 11th Oct'r 1850 .... 51

Commissioner of Crown Lands Maranoa to The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, respecting Postal communications between Drayton & his Head Quarters "Surat" -

50/121

Crown Lands Office

Maranoa Sept 14. 1850

.............. Oct'r 18th

Sir

With reference to your letter of 30th May 50/1984 acquainting me that the Postmaster General would avail himself of the information afforded by me, when the time arrived for extending the Post to my District - I have the honor to inform you that having referred to the Notice in the Government Gazette dated 19th Ult'o calling for Tenders for Conveyance of mails during the year Commencing 1st January next, - I cannot find that any Tender is called for the conveyance

of a Mail

[bottom of left margin]

The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands

...... &c ...... &c ...... &c

Sydney

[notes in left margin]

[diagonally] 50/9893

For information of the Post Master General

......... 15[th]

To be Submitted.

Colonial Secretary

....... 15th Oct '50

[initials] J.G.B.

of a mail from Drayton to my Head Quarters "Surat." or "Yalgulba" - when a court of Petty Sessions is also appointed to be held - I have therefore the honor to request that you will favor me by urging upon Government the immediate necessity for the Establishment of such a mail - and may lean [?] at the same time to foward all requisite information respecting the distance between the two places -

The mail should run via "Jimba" and “Myall Creek" Mr. Mackenzie's station "Cobble Cobble" and Mr. Ewer's "Wambo" from Drayton to "Tiriboo" [sic: Tiereyboo?] the lowest station on the Condamine River within the District of Darling Downs and thence by the tracks of my Drays, and my marked tree line, now a well beaten road, to my Head Quarters

53

Head Quarters - "Surat" - The distance from Drayton to Tiriboo [sic: Tiereyboo] is one hundred and twenty five miles - and from "Tiriboo" [sic: Tiereyboo] to Surat sixty miles - the total distance therefore which the mail has to be conveyed from Drayton is one hundred and eighty five miles - and I am of opinion that it would be less expensive, if a Post office were established at "Wambo" to which a private mail at present Runs as well as at my Head Quarters. It would then be necessary to call for two Tenders - one for the conveyance of a Mail from Drayton to "Wambo" a distance of one hundred and two miles - the other for the conveyance of a mail from "Wambo" to "Surat" a distance of Eighty three miles - this in my opinion would be the prefereable course to adopt - [...] have to state, that a petition has I believe been presented to His Excellency the Governor from the

[marginalia] Drayton to Tiriboo [sic:Tiereyboo] 125 miles Tiriboo [sic: Tiereyboo] to Surat 60 ....................................................185

Where is Wambo?

Drayton to Wambo 110 Wambo to Surat 83

from the residents of the Lower Condamine, praying for the Establishment of this mail and I trust my personal anxiety on the matter will be excused, when I inform you that at my private expense, and with my own horses in most occasions nearly three thousand miles of country have been traversed in the conveyance of letters to and fro: on the Government Service during the last Eight months between Drayton & Wee Waa and my Head Quarters -

I have the honor to be Sir Your most Obedient Servant Roderick Mitchell CCLands