The Argus at KellyGang 15/7/1867 (5)
Mr GEORGE MOTT moved, as an amendment, and Mr J K BROWN seconded- "That the delegates present are of opinion that, in order to promote unanimous action on the part of the people of the Ovens and Murray districts, the North-Eastern Railway League should be reconstructed by the addition of twelve new committees, to act with the twelve existing committees of the league; such new committee's to be elected at public meetings held in the towns that have not yet joined the league. That after the election of such twelve committees a meeting be held, with a view to define the route and to reconsider the policy of the league."
On a division, the motion was carried.
Mr H S PARFITT moved, and Mr MOTT seconded- "That the meeting now adjourn till eight pm ," which was carried.
Upon resuming, at about nine pm , Mr R WOOD moved, and Mr HOOPER seconded - "That his Honour Judge Cope be requested to act as president of the association," which was carried,
Mr MOTT moved, and Mr THOMSON seconded- "That there be six vice-presidents; and that the mayors of Beechworth, Chiltern, and Wangaratta, the president of the Shire of Oxley, and Messrs F G Docker and D H Evans be appointed." The motion was agreed to.
Tho other office-bearers were then elected,
Mr Bickerton being appointed paid secretary. It was also agreed that a subscription-list should be opened, and about £50 were subscribed in the room. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.
The following is the memorial drawn up by the sub-committee, and to be considered by the congress on the next morning:
"To His Excellency, &c.
"The humble petition of the undersigned delegates, representing the various borough and shire councils, road boards, and other local public bodies and societies in the Ovens and Murray districts, in congress assembled tit Wangaratta,
"Showeth,- That your petitioners and their fellow-residents have for years suffered, and now suffer in an enhanced degree, from the absence of adequate means of carriage to and from the seaboard and other parts of the colony, which greatly increases tho cost of living and the price of all imported articles, and cuts us off from a market for our produce.
"That these districts combine with mining large pastoral and agricultural enterprises, the product of which had already exceeded requirements of local markets, but since the extensive operation of the new Land Act, the enormously increased area of cultivation has had the natural effect of augmenting the surplus for which it is necessary to find a market.
"That your petitioners would impress upon your Excellency's council that the present favourable opportunity for raising money for railway works should not be allowed to pass by without affording to your petitioners some redress of the grievance which they now suffer. The only objection hitherto urged by the Government to the immediate carrying out of railway extension to the Ovens district has been shown not now to exist by the success attending the negotiation of the last loan in London .
"That, in your petitioners' opinion, the amount paid for carriage of goods, mails, and passengers to these districts will more than pay the interest required on the cost of a railway, and, according to recent reliable estimates of the highest authority, would leave a net profit of £50,000 per annum, the long through traffic being highly remunerative, and rates of traffic maintainable at paying rates, there being practically no river competition. In support of this view your petitioners would call attention to the fact that all the municipal towns of the Ovens district lie at distances from the Murray varying from twenty to fifty miles, and the inhabitants of all these towns have by experience found that the carriage direct by drays, though very costly, has yet proved cheaper, safer, and much more expeditious than by river.
"That many of the various and important products of the district cannot be probably produced without more rapid and economical means of conveyance to market-such as gold, tin ore, grain, hides, tallow, fruits of all kinds, oils, wines, timber, fire-clay, and many other minerals, &c.
"That these districts have suffered greatly for years from the want of adequate means of transit for the machinery requisite for developing their known resources.
"That the population of these districts is of a peculiarly settled character, consisting largely of agriculturists and of a class of miners whose employment lies in permanent mines; is an increasing population, and is already so numerous, in the opinion of your petitioners, as to entitle them to the attention of the Government.
"Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray," &c.
end
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