A daily mail between Melbourne and Geelong was commenced on the ist January, 1851 ; and on the 29th March a public meeting of merchants and others was held to petition the Queen and the Imperial Parliament for a reduction in the rate of sea-borne letters to the colony. It was then n d . per single letter, i.e., 8d. to pay in England and 3d. in Port Phillip. T h e robberies of inland mails were of such frequent occurrence as to alarm the Banks, and the Superintendent sanctioned a special ship mail between Melbourne and Geelong per the " Aphrasia" steamer, which started from Melbourne at 10.30 a.m. on Thursdays, and returned the day after, more particularly for the transit of bank parcels. A s an indication of the postal business in the Melbourne Post Office, the following return shows the number of letters and newspapers despatched to England and foreign parts :—In 1849—38,616 letters, 51,310 newspapers ; in 1850—58,723 letters, 41,808 newspapers. At the end of 1851 the Melbourne staff had been enlarged t o : — A Chief Postmaster, ,£450 ; Accountant, .£215 ; Clerk, ,£175 I o n e do. at ^£125 ; and eight at ,£115 each per annum, ,£920; Extra Clerk, 5s. per diem, ,£91 10s. ;fiveLetter-carriers, at 4s. each per day, ,£366 ; Messenger, 2s. 6d. per day, ,£45 15s. Amongst the Acts passed by thefirstSession of thefirstLegislature of Victoria (1851-2), was one to amend the postal law, and the following rates of postage were legalized : — T o w n letters, per half ounce, id. ; ship letters, 3d. ; inland letters, 2d. Newspapers within the colony, free, if posted within seven days of publication ; but for delivery within the town where posted, id. OVERLAND MAIL ROBBERIES.
That this species of outrage should be of frequent occurrence in the early days is not to be wondered at, especially when the unprotected condition of the interior is taken into consideration. T h e only matter for surprise is that there were not more depredations of the kind. 1. O n the 2nd December, 1840, thefirstrobbery of a Port Phillip mail was perpetrated at the Murrumbidgee. It was the Overland en route from Sydney to Melbourne, and was conveyed on horseback by one James Spittal. T w o armed bushrangers sprang from under cover of a tree, faced the mailman, and swore they would shoot him down unless he stopped and gave up the bags. Spittal saw nothing for it but a speedy compliance, and when the robbers were in possession of their booty they cut the leathers, examined the letters, which they flung aside as refuse, and pocketed their contents. The proceeds seemed to put them in good humour, for they wouldn't let the mailman go until they lighted afire,made some tea, and told him he could have as many billies of thefluidas he felt disposed to imbibe. N o trace was ever after found of the scoundrels. 2. A similar outrage occurred in November, 1845, when the mail from Melbourne to Sydney was stuck up and plundered between Yass and Gunning. T w o bushrangers were again the perpetrators. T h e mailman was not treated to a cup of tea this time, but was threatened with gunpowder of a less agreeable taste, if he didn't make quick tracks at once, and tracks he made accordingly, without as m u c h as bidding his assailants a good-bye. 3. T h e mail which started from Melbourne to Sydney on the 20th July, 1847, w a s robbed on the 22nd under the following circumstances : — A t 4 p.m., Isaac Barrow, the carrier, started on horseback, with his bags strapped on a led horse, from the Albury Post Office, and rode on to Foote's Creek, some fifteen miles. Here he was pounced upon by two m e n w h o m he recognised as Edward Clark and Henry Turner. After a word or two of conversation, one of the fellows seized the bridle of the ridden horse, whilst the other pulled the mailman off. Conducting him and his horses a mile and a half into the bush, they tied Barrow to a tree. Turning their attention to the mail, they cut open several bags (except four packets afterwards found unbroken), and took whatever of the contents they cared for. W h e n they had completed their work, they rode away on the post-horses, without untying the unfortunate man. Barrow struggled hard for his liberty, and an hour's effort set him free, whereupon he doubled back for Albury, and communicated the outrage to the police. Sergeant O'Neil and a trooper went off in pursuit, but some of the Wagga police got the start, by meeting the robbers, and arresting them on suspicion near the station of a Mr. M'Leay, on the Murrumbidgee. O'Neil was within a couple of hours' ride of the scoundrels when they were apprehended. The prisoners were tried at Berrima, and sentenced tofifteenyears' transportation.
