INJURY TO THE MAILS OF THE “MELBOURNE.”

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 718, 2 March 1853, Page 3

INJURY TO THE MAILS OF THE “MELBOURNE.”

It appears that the inconvenience to the public resulting from the delays, disasters, and —it would seem in the first instance —mismanagement of this steamer does not terminate with her arrival at her destination. The Shipping Reports mention that she has brought the largest mail ever conveyed by a single vessel to Australia; but the stale in which we may fear that our letters and papers will reach us may be inferred more distinctly than pleasantly from the following conversation which look place in the Legislative Council atMelbourne on the 4th nil.: Dr. Thomson had to solicit the indulgence of the House in order to bring under its attention a circumstance in connection with (he mails by the Melbourne, lie had that day visited the Chief Postmaster, and bad found that gentleman engaged looking at the mails to which be had alluded, and which were in a perfectly rotten slate, so much so, (bat, so far as (be letters were concerned, it was impossible to tell to whom they were addressed, and as for the newspapers they were in a perfect stale of fermentation. It was clear to him from an inspection of the mails that they had been for weeks under water, aed under such circumstances he thought that some measures should be taken to bring the captain of the vessel before some public tribunal by which he might be punished. Mr. MTvinnon said that he might perhaps give some explanation upon (he matter. The present master of the vessel had taken charge of the vessel after she had met with the several accidents. He was not the master who originally had charge of her, and consequently could not be held accountable for the mails.