Bundaberg Mail and Burnett
Advertiser (Qld.),
Thursday 19 March 1908, page 2
Gin Gin postal service
The
Postmaster General has arranged for a postal receiving office at Dunmorc
General Store which is the only place of public business within a radius of 5
or 6 miles and of course by far the most convenient for a large number of men
employed in the district as they can get their goods and letters, etc., at the
same time. There are a few who are doing a bit of a growl over it, but as the
P.M.G. cannot well give each of them a receiving office, I think they are only
wasting time, for in no way docs it affect them except that they will not
figure on the postal pay sheet. The arrangement will in nowise interfere with the
present mode of loose lotter delivery along the postal route.
The cane
is making great progress and indicates that the Central Mill will have a busy
time in the coming season. I see that a Gin Gin correspondent has drawn
attention to our insufficient local postal service, and proposes that the
Currajong and Gin Gin Agricultural Association should take up the matter. I
cordially agree with him. The matter has often been talked of amongst the settlers,
but so far no decided move has been made to publicly advocate it. This being an
essentially farming community, it (in a matter of postal convenience) naturally
considers that the local representative of the farmers should take the
initiative in obtaining for it an improved postal system. At present we have a
thrice a week service over a long route, much of which is practically useless,
and behind the times. The now urgent need is a daily mail running in almost a
circle through the most populous portion of the district over a route of about
25 miles, and the generally expressed wish is that the committee of the
association will at once take action to obtain it for us.
The route
proposed is from Gin Gin P.O. along Walla road to the Central Sugar Mill, thence via
Greenfield sugar plantation to Dunmore Receiving Office, and sugar fields,
thence on to St. Kilda sugar fields, along the Watawa road to the sugar fields
of Watawa and Tirroan back to Gin Gin P.O. I will mention one instance to show the
style of the postal service this community has at present. A community bear in
mind, that sends from 40,000 to 50,000 tons of cane yearly to the Gin Gin
Central Mill, and say half as much again by train to Bingera sugar mill.
A letter
arriving early on Saturday morning at Gin Gin addressed to Currajong (only 8
miles from Gin Gin) would be delivered at Currajong on the following Tuesday
afternoon at 4.30 to 5 o'clock, und as the mailman leaves at once the letter could
not be replied to till the next Thursday afternoon, to arrive at Gin Gin P.O. late
that evening. It would be received (formally) and stamped on Friday morning. Is
that a smart enough service for an intelligent businesslike community?, 6 days
for a letter (no matter how important) to travel in all 16 miles. Every member
of the Currajong and Gin Gin Agricultural Association knows that what is here
stated is a fact, and I say it is a discredit to the district, and therefore an
alteration should be at once moved for.
Our
mailman at presents travels over many miles of country very frequently to carry
but one newspaper, and bring back no return mail of any kind. At the best of
times he is serving but two or three persons, while a large community of people
have to swallow the absurd service referred to. We have been treated very
fairly by the postal authorities in granting us a receiving office (when asked
for) at Dunmore and I am confident will also receive good treatment in regard
to a daily mail, when the P.M.G. is shown how necessary it is to this
community, and one of the most important sugar growing sections of the Wide Bay
and Burnett district.
