ipally, if not
exclusively, in view in taking up their appointments. Many of the
deputies were lawyers or other professional men. The privilege was
nominally subject to the limitation of four single letters, or two
double letters, or one packet of an ounce by each mail; but this
limitation was very generally disregarded. To such an extent was this
the case that one-half of many mails consisted of free letters.

Couriers received fixed wages, which were either paid by the Deputy
Postmaster-General out of the general funds of the department, or from
grants in aid, given by the Legislature specifically for the support of
the respective routes. Way Office keepers received no remuneration from
the department: in many instances the existence of the Way Offices was
unknown at Halifax. This was explained in great part by the manner in
which such offices were usually established. A courier travelling a
particular line of road received from the despatching postmaster a
number of "way letters," or letters for persons living on or near his
route. Partly for his own convenience, and partly for the accommodation
of the persons addressed, the courier would leave packets of the letters
at some house on the route, and the occupant would collect the postage
on behalf of the courier. In course of time the courier induced the
postmaster to make up the letters for this particular place separately,
and to open a private account with the householder, who thus became an
agent for the postmaster, and the house became a Way Office. The keepers
of these Way Offices usually charged a fee of 2d. on each letter
received or sent. The Post Office was not in any way concerned in the
transactions, except that in some cases, where it was not always
possible for the Way Office keeper to obtain his fee in advance, the
practice grew up, with the co-operation of the Deputy-Postmaster, of
charging forward the unpaid Way Office keeper's fee as unpaid forward
"postage." Some of the Way Office keepers also claimed and exercised the
same rights of franking as the Deputy Postmasters. Others were paid on
the basis of a percentage of 20 per cent. of the postage collected; and
in such cases some of the keepers still collected their fee of 2d., and
some did not.

When letters were sent from one Way Office to another--as was frequently
the case, since often there were several Way Offices in succession--a
fresh fee was charged; and a letter might be charged four or fiv