RAILWAY EXTENSION MEETING AT KOORINGA.

"A very large meeting was held at the Burra Hotel, Kooringa, on the 4th September 1866. There were from 800 to 1,000 persons present, the room being crammed full and many not able to get in. The object of the meeting was to take into consideration the advisability of petitioning the Legislature to extend the railway from Kapunda northwards. The meeting was very orderly throughout.

Capt Killicoat was voted to the chair, and having read the advertisement calling the meeting, and the answer thereto. He said he had received several letters from persons interested in that meeting, and one from each of the Burra members, stating the reasons of their not being present. The Chairman begged a fair and patient hearing for all, but hoped any who might be there not in favor of the line, would speak out boldly. While speaking of the bad state of the roads, he said, only that day a team was stopped by the track being fenced across, and he was assured that the mail driver would have the next day to cut through a wire fence to pass; and even yet the road was not defined. And he would strongly recommend all those who might have supplies of provisions by them to be careful of them, as it was uncertain how they were to get up the next. But he felt sure if they went the right way to work, and gave a long pull, a strong pull and a pull all together, they would yet pull the iron horse from Kapunda up there. (Cheers.)

Mr. W. H. Challoner, J.P., proposed the first resolution, as follows:" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to open up the North, by an extension of the Railway from some point of the present lines". It gave him great pleasure to see so large a meeting, and he could assure them that he should be proud to see every man earning 50s. per week. If they had a railway they would have cheap carriage, for the low class ores would then be made available because they were now 50 per cent less in value, while the cartage was 50 per cent higher and in consequence many were out of work. Our imports were greater than ever, and we were now better able to borrow £1,500,000 at a lower rate of interest than we were formerly £50,000. As to the railways not paying. Do roads pay? No. But railways are the means of cheap and easy communication, and with those few remarks, he had great pleasure in proposing the resolution. (Great cheers.)

Mr. Moody seconded. After the able speech of the mover, he had no wind left in his sails, but he did not think there would be a dissentient voice. They did not ask for a line for Kooringa only, but for the whole of the intermediate places, and as there were two lines already surveyed, he thought they were not asking too much; and he sincerely hoped that this present session, the Bill would be carried through Parliament. Mr. Challoner had told them what £3,000 will do in the old country. They did not want elaborate stations, and the engineering difficulties were nothing and the cuttings not much. Now, to obtain what they wanted, they must agitate and co-operate and get others to support them. (Cheers.)

Mr. G. Atkinson, in support of the resolution, said the object of the meeting was of the greatest moment. The view they had was to cheapen the carriage of goods. One of the daily journals thought 300 miles of tramway in the South-East would do good, but his opinion was that we wanted that length northwards. Then some of their wives were apprehensive of the foe landing, but with the railway to town we should be only five hours from Kooringa to the capital. (Applause).

The Chairman put the proposition and it was carried without a dissentient voice.

Mr. Rosman proposed the second resolution as follows — "That taking into consideration the vast resources of the North, in minerals, cereals and wool, it is requisite that immediate steps be taken to form a main trunk line, which would prove beneficial not only to the North but to the colony in general". He said the whole colony would have to look North soon as the whole of the South-East land was sold and, if we succeeded in getting a line up the Valley of the Gilbert, the people would buy up the whole of the sheepstations, for the price offered for them would be too great to be refused, and then instead of 10 settlers there would be 1,000. The South and East had always opposed the line North, but he would say they had all got good roads in those localities, and he would ask one thing — was not the Burra the mainstay of the colony? It was well known that there were vast quantities of copper up North which only wanted fetching down to turn into cash. And he was informed if we had a line, eight per cent copper would be taken down instead of, as now, only taking 12 per cent copper. It was well known that the few always had to give way to the many. It was also well known that many farmers were now leaving Gumeracha, Willunga, &c, for the North. Another thing he would point out — that we do not want expensive lines. The railways in Norway he would also point out as being cheaper, costing £3,000 per mile only. A tramway might even be made first; and he believed the Goolwa one now paid all its expenses ; whereas the roads cost about £100 per annum per mile for maintenance. And as railways up here would open up a large quantity of good country, he did not see how the Government could refuse what they now asked for. But, of course, as to details we must leave all them to the Government; and, as Mr. Moody said, they must pull well together and have at once a good Committee. Had this been done 10 years ago we should now have the iron horse here. He was very sorry to say that the Burra people were very dilatory. The speaker concluded by proposing the resolution. Mr. M. H. Furniss seconded, and said that as he could not make a speech he hoped they would excuse him, and felt great pleasure in referring them to the ably-written article which appeared in that day's Advertiser.

Mr. W. Godson, of Redruth, ably supported the resolution "after what Mr. Rosman had said he thought there could not be two opinions as to the desirability of carrying out the proposed railway extension. It showed a great want of energy on the part of the public that the line had not reached the Burra long ago. They (the Government) were morally bound to give them a main trunk line. They must either give a railway or a macadamised road. There was no question as to which are the best roads, for every mile of railroad represents a certain amount of reproductive capital, while, comparatively speaking, macadamised roads represent only so much capital sunk in the mud. They should have spent the money on the railway in the North, instead of swamping the colony with a superfluity of labor—and as to the resources of the North, what are they? Why wool, wheat, copper, &c. He had made a calculation that the Copper Company and traders of the Burra spent annually in cartage £23,000 for wool and other stores from the various stations; and then add the large amount of copper developed in the mines recently discovered and he felt sure on those grounds the Government would see that a railway to the North would be an advantage, not only to the Northern districts, but to the colony at large".

Mr. J. R. Stephens also supported the resolution. He was particularly struck and greatly pleased to see so large a meeting and he thought it could be accounted for by the great interest they took in the matter for which they had met. They no doubt felt that it deeply affected their interests. One thing had been omitted — that was the labor question. Well, if they found plenty of work, it did not matter how many came. It was well known that large sums of money were sent home for immigration, and if the Government did not spend money on public works they broke the bargain with those parties who came out. He knew in the South and South-East they had got all they asked, and had no doubt there had been some logrolling, and would be more yet. It was well known that a great portion of the land on the proposed route of the line was first-class land. And then, with reference to the country, even as far as the Barrier Ranges, that country was only just being opened. And there were many people living here who had never even seen Adelaide, partly because they were frightened, partly because the roads were so bad, and lastly because they could not afford it. He therefore thought the Government would look favorably on their request (Cheers.)

The third resolution was proposed by Mr. W. Ridgeway in a few very excellent remarks, which elicited great cheering. The revolution was as follows:—" That a respectful memorial, embodying the sentiments of this meeting, be prepared and signatures obtained, for presentation to Parliament, and that J. B. Neales, Esq., M.P., be requested to present it, and G. W. Cole, Esq., M.P., be desired to support the same."

Mr. Wm. Pearce seconded, and said he did so with very great pleasure. They must bear in mind that as they wanted something done by Government they must ask it respectfully, but press it energetically. His own opinion was that they ought to have done there what the people had done in the South — namely, get up a memorial and present it, and keep on agitating in a proper manner. Now there is some talk about a tramway to Port Wakefield; and we would ask how many would be benefited by it? He believed that no vessel of any size could come within seven miles of the shore — while a railway northwards would benefit hundreds of farmers and others. And if one was made from Auburn to Wakefield, they would then have take and fetch all the cargoes to and fro with barges; and it was well known that all the Burra people and the settlers got their goods up now as far as Kapunda by rail, and if the railway was carried the whole distance, they would avail themselves of it for the whole length, to say nothing of the passenger traffic. He would therefore, with great pleasure, second the resolution.

Mr. O. Harvey also supported the resolution. It was not necessary for him to say much after all that had been said by previous speakers but would beg to propose that the Hon. J. H. Barrow's name be added to the others to present their petition.

The proposition was seconded by Mr. Challoner, and carried unanimously.

It was proposed by Mr. Challoner, seconded by Mr. Bath, and carried, that the following gentlemen form the Committee: Messrs. Drew, Moody, Challoner, Furniss, Bath, Killicoat, and Rosman.

Mr. Porter, J.P., proposed a vote of thanks to the Press. Mr. Ridgway said that the special thanks of all were due to the proprietors of the Advertiser and Chronicle for sending up a reporter and also for the able article previously referred to. (Cheers.)

Mr. F. Deacon acknowledged the compliment on behalf the Advertiser and Chronicle.

The Chairman thanked the meeting for the very excellent order they had kept and the assemblage then broke up.

Another meeting is likely to take place at Aberdeen shortly for the purpose of further considering the matter".