CO129-094 - Acting Governor Mercer - 1863 [11-10] — Page 169

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being carried in violation of the contract to the proper officer of the Company here, and that steps should have been at once taken to prevent

récurrence or continuance

of the irregularity, and I submit that I could scarcely be called upon, or be expected to ascertain for myself whether letters were being conveyed in the manner in question, as I conceive that it should have been sufficient for the Superintendent of the Company, who "took charge of the correspondence," to have heard my statement that such a state of things did exist, and, in direct reply to my letter of the 24th Instant, to have given a more satisfactory answer.

Further, that the practice might be nullified by the Company declining to receive parcels unless in the regular way, giving a Bill of Lading in each case, which would necessitate the packages of letters being withheld until the Bill of Lading could be returned to the ship signed, and if this were done, the improper conveyance of letters would, I am convinced, be thwarted, and each section of the Community have equal advantages instead of, as at present, that portion of it which employs the authorized means of sending and receiving correspondence being favoured.