Ping Gazza~ TI

In 2007 you were looking for opening date of PO.
This may or may not be of interest, but mentions
Thursday island and mails that were flowing.

Interesting that 35 letters a week were going to Port Moresby
from Cooktown in 1885, servicing just 20 coastal non indegenes.

The entire article is copyrighted
acknowledgement Sydney Views Aug 1992 K Humphreys.

BNG was a postal district of Queensland,
(1885-1891 no internal letters could survive with stamps and must be forged
as the postage rate inland was free)

rodney
SYDNEY VIEWS No.36 August, 1992.
By K.Humphreys

British New Guinea did not officially exist until 6.11.1884 when Cdr. Erskine
proclaimed the Protectorate of New Guinea. Major General Sir Peter Scratchley
(1835-1885) was appointed H.M, Special Commissioner for the Protectorate and
departed England on 20.11.84 to take up the appointment? arrived Melbourne on
4.1.85.
Scratchley of the Royal Engineers had served in the Crimea 1855-56 and during the
Indian Mutiny. He had visited Thursday Island in 1881 before retiring from the Army
in October 1882. After retirement he had been Advisor on Defence for the Colonies.
Whilst in Brisbane in August 1885 enroute New Guinea, Seratchley made a postal
arrangement with the Queensland PMG. New Guinea was to have the status of an
isolated Queensland (postal) station. Outward mail was to be franked with the
Queensland adhesives at Queensland rates. The sole immediate theoretical benefit was
that mail from New Guinea to Queensland destinations could be sent for 2d instead of
the Ship Letter 6d,
But prior to 1.9.85 there was no postal official at the Landing in the outer harbour
called Port Moresby. I would suggest that mail plus cash was handed to trader Andrew
Goldie who operated a store at the Landing. He would then forward same to
Cooktown, Thursday Island, Townsville and other ports to which Mission or trading
vessels were headed. Perhaps Goldie did sell Queensland stamps from his store.
Scratchley and possibly the PMG would not know of prior New Guinea postal
practices. The place was so remote and possessed a less than savoury reputation.

Thanks Rodney -

It was a wild and remote place then

G


"rodney" pookiethai@NOSPAM iprimus.com.au wrote in message
...

In 2007 you were looking for opening date of PO.
This may or may not be of interest, but mentions
Thursday island and mails that were flowing.

Interesting that 35 letters a week were going to Port Moresby
from Cooktown in 1885, servicing just 20 coastal non indegenes.

The entire article is copyrighted
acknowledgement Sydney Views Aug 1992 K Humphreys.

BNG was a postal district of Queensland,
(1885-1891 no internal letters could survive with stamps and must be
forged
as the postage rate inland was free)

rodney
SYDNEY VIEWS No.36 August, 1992.
By K.Humphreys

British New Guinea did not officially exist until 6.11.1884 when Cdr.
Erskine
proclaimed the Protectorate of New Guinea. Major General Sir Peter
Scratchley
(1835-1885) was appointed H.M, Special Commissioner for the Protectorate
and
departed England on 20.11.84 to take up the appointment? arrived Melbourne
on
4.1.85.
Scratchley of the Royal Engineers had served in the Crimea 1855-56 and
during the
Indian Mutiny. He had visited Thursday Island in 1881 before retiring from
the Army
in October 1882. After retirement he had been Advisor on Defence for the
Colonies.
Whilst in Brisbane in August 1885 enroute New Guinea, Seratchley made a
postal
arrangement with the Queensland PMG. New Guinea was to have the status of
an
isolated Queensland (postal) station. Outward mail was to be franked with
the
Queensland adhesives at Queensland rates. The sole immediate theoretical
benefit was
that mail from New Guinea to Queensland destinations could be sent for 2d
instead of
the Ship Letter 6d,
But prior to 1.9.85 there was no postal official at the Landing in the
outer harbour
called Port Moresby. I would suggest that mail plus cash was handed to
trader Andrew
Goldie who operated a store at the Landing. He would then forward same to
Cooktown, Thursday Island, Townsville and other ports to which Mission or
trading
vessels were headed. Perhaps Goldie did sell Queensland stamps from his
store.
Scratchley and possibly the PMG would not know of prior New Guinea postal
practices. The place was so remote and possessed a less than savoury
reputation.