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50/7406. [right margin]75 Collaroy Merriwa Augst. 7. 1850. My dear Sir, Many thanks for your communication about the Post - I only returned home yesterday & lose no time in replying to it - Your substitute for my place will play the very deuce if you [scribble] will allow me to use a homely phrase - & I will tell you why - You will deprive all the lower Namoi of postal communication with Tamworth within the metropolis of the District - & the whole country between Tamwork & Carrol of postal communication altogether-. You must indeed leave matters as they are rather than make this change-. But I hope for will give us the post I ask for -. it is paid for by the assessment Fund - & if every schilling were spent in post offices I should not complain - At present, the whole country between Namoi & McIntyre is without a post except the direct line to Cullandon [sic] by Warialda - & by establishing the line I ask for will connect all the great rivers of this North Western District - This Namoi, Gwyder, Big River, McIntyre Barwin .... [sic] There are sad complaints about the Wee Waa mail - the postman

lying drunk for days on the road -. Every proprietor I saw begged me to write to you on the subject - Is it with your sanction & approbation that the country postmasters make a charge (generally 20/s. per annum) for intermediate deliveries - For instance there is no post office between Tamworth & Wee Waa 140 miles - none between Tamworth & Warialda upwards of 100 miles & Williams the postmaster mailed all the intermediate residents 20/s. a year - This is monstrous - By the [...] ought to open a postoffice [sic] at Barraba - there are sometimes as many as 60 letters & papers in one delivery - I have been much pressed on his point - & as I know some are glad to know what the public want from [...], I make no apology for mentioning their wishes - I swear I care for nothing so much as this X Post - work will benefit hundreds -. In haste Most humblest Edwd Hamilton --. J Raymond Eq.__

[address bar] J. Raymond Esq. Post Master General Sydney -

[note, inverse] Meniwa[?] Aug 9 1850

[stamped] SYDNEY NEW SOUTH WALES AU * 14 1850