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318
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
·
James Wilson Hyde
122
It
is
really
surprising
how
some
of
the
ideas
and
practices
of
the
feudal
times
still
survive,
ancient
arrangements
coming
up
from
time
to
time
for
revision,
as
those
who
suffer
acquire
greater
independence
or
a
truer
conception
of
their
position
in
the
State.
Quite
recently
the
Postmaster-General
was
called
upon
to
settle
a
dispute
between
the
Senior
Magistrate
of
Fraserburgh
and
Lord
----
(the
local
seigneur)
as
to
who
had
the
right
to
receive
letters
addressed
to
"The
Provost"
or
"Chief
Magistrate"
of
Fraserburgh,
both
parties
claiming
such
letters.
His
lordship
had
hitherto
obtained
delivery
of
the
letters,
on
the
ground
of
his
being
"heritable
provost"
or
baron-bailie,
titles
which
smell
strongly
of
antiquity;
but
the
modern
Provost
and
Chief
Magistrate
being
no
longer
disposed
to
submit
to
the
arrangement,
appealed
to
headquarters,
and
obtained
a
decision
as
follows--viz.,
that
he
being
Senior
Police
Magistrate,
should
receive
all
communications
addressed
to
"The
Provost,"
"The
Chief
Magistrate,"
or
"The
Acting
Chief
Magistrate,"
and
that
Lord
----
should
have
a
right
to
claim
any
addressed
to
the
"Baron-Bailie."
The
surprise
is,
that
the
ancient
method
of
disposing
of
the
letters
should
have
been
endured
so
long,
and
that
a
town's
Provost
should
have
been
so
slighted.
Personal
interest,
unfortunately,
often
steps
in
to
prevent
or
hinder
the
carrying
out
of
reforms
for
the
general
good;
even
the
selfishness
of
mere
pleasure
placing
itself
as
an
obstacle
to
the
accomplishment
of
things
of
great
consequence
in
practical
life.
The
Post-office
being
called
upon
to
consider
the
question
of
affording
a
daily
post
to
a
small
place
in
Ireland,
which
until
then
had
had
but
a
tri-weekly
post,
a
gentleman
called
upon
the
postmaster
to
urge
that
things
might
be
left
as
they
were,
stating
as
his
reason
that
the
change
of
hours,
as
regards
the
mail-car,
rendered
necessary
in
connection
with
the
proposed
improvements,
would
not
suit
himself
and
some
other
gentlemen,
who
were
in
the
habit
of
using
the
car
when
going
to
fish
on
a
lake
near
the
mail-car
route!
Is
not
this
a
case
showing
a
sad
lack
of
public
spirit?
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