Stories Of Postage, England To NZ Pre 1840.

I am writing a small "book" on my families history and I have just got to the bit when they arrived in New Zealand from London in 1836...

They received letters from England, the first one posted on the day they arrived in NZ.

But the first letter for my great great great grand mother did not arrive until 1839 and the sender tells that many letters had been sent.

So I want to write a small paragraph or two on how letters were sent back then.

Does anyone have some good info on that subject or some websites that deal with that topic?

It's interesting that we still have many of the letters that were sent... and the one that made it in 1839 was addressed to "Mrs Bedggood" without even New Zealand on it...

regards
Gavin
New Zealand