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“WAGGA WAGGA.
“This flourishing and favourite little town stands mainly on the south side of the Murrumbidgee, which is spanned by a wooden bridge over which the bulk of the traffic on the Great Southern-road passes. In traversing the neighbourhood for thirty-five miles E., forty miles N., and having just come up from the south, no one can arrive at any other conclusion than that Wagga Wagga (Phoebus, what a name !) is eminently well placed to grow into a large town. Immediately surrounded by an almost unlimited agricultural district, with a soil fairly adapted for cereals, and well adapted in suitable sites for vines and more tropical productions, backed by fine stations, and encircled on the northern half of the compass by the best reefing district I have yet seen in the country, Wagga Wagga can scarcely miss becoming a thriving commercial town.
“Fitzmaurice-street boasts several fine buildings, notably the post-office, a department of public business which it is an unexpected pleasure in New South Wales to see properly housed; the Commercial Hotel and the Australian, two extensive buildings, the latter being enlarged, a bank in brick, and another in wood; several excellent shop-fronts, including most of the useful trades. The churches of the Church of England, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Wesleyan bodies are grouped harmoniously, together, eastward, on a granite rise in a bend of the river; but their architectural displays do not require a detailed account. (The Presbyterian is unfinished.) The hospital is a lively looking little double-gabled building, with verandah between; but the site is rather low. Two steam mills ‘grind the corn,’ and at Mr. Chapman’s, of the firm Chapman Brothers, Sydney, preparations are being made for the performance of engineering in all its branches. the bridge is a knotty subject, upon the threshold of which I pause, and pay my toll. The company that built this bridge was incorporated nine years ago, with a capital of L5000. The shareholders are twenty-three in number. They were granted by Act of Parliament a twenty years’ lease of four miles of the river, that none might ply for hire or build for toll within two miles of their bridge. Credit is due to them for the manner in which they have ________ the bridge in its perilous position, to become one highway over the Murrumbidgee, connecting the traffic of Riverina with the rest of the colony. They have succeeded in conferring a benefit on the public, and in making money themselves, in fact, so good has the speculation that the bridge has paid itself nearly three times over reaching forty per cent. per annum, the half year’s receipts being L1156 13s 6d; the reserve fund amounting to about L6000 - a very good investment. But what was a benefit has now become an obstruction; and the tax which was light years ago has now become a matter of serious consideration. I subjoin the scale of tolls : -
“UNION BRIDGE.
s. d.
Foot passenger 0 2
Gig, dray, or vehicle 1 0
Horse, ass, or mule, drawing or not drawing 0 6
Ox, or head of neat cattle 0 4
Sheep, pig, or goat 0 1
“WAGGA WAGGA BRIDGE.
Foot passenger 0 2
All vehicles, at per wheel 1 0
Horse or ox 1 0
Sheep 0 1
“Thus a buggy on this bridge is taxed 4s, and 1s for the horse. The company makes optional reductions, e. g., 2s 6d for a single horse buggy, and 3s for a two-horse buggy, and 30s a thousand for sheep; but since a not unnatural desire has been shown to evade the toll by fording the river, the company have determined to exact the extreme figures. The consequence is that the traffic is being diverted to other places, and the town of Wagga Wagga suffers a loss. Property, I am informed, has fallen already fifty per cent., and an influential meeting was lately held by the inhabitants to consider the steps to be taken to save the trade of the town. the idea of a free punt has been mooted, and money subscribed; and another idea is, to build a bridge outside the two-mile boundary that shall be moveable by hydraulic power when required. If the company decline to be bought out of the way, if local patriotism has no weight against pocket, and ‘the trade may stagnate so the bridge stand,’ why substantial opposition may have the desired effect.
“Wagga Wagga is equi-distant from the two capitals, being in round numbers 300 miles from each; but the business done with each is not in the same proportion. Melbourne agents are actively at work, and the south is elbowing the north out of the market. I see no real cause for this, except superior smartness and activity. Let us look at the tariffs and duties. The ad valorem duty of New South Wales is five per cent., that of Victoria is ten per cent. On the great dutiable article, alcohol, the two colonies agree to differ; both charge 10s a gallon, but Victoria charges in bulk, while New South Wales measures both quantity and quality, allowing a rebate on underproof spirit. Thus in bond I saw a five-gallon case of New South Wales gin, the duty on which was thus reduced to L6 13s 4d, which by the Victorian tariff would have been L10. Why then should we let the trade slide from us ? Articles on which the duty amounts to L15,000 per annum are consumed, or imported by Wagga Wagga, and only L4000 of this amount is on New South Wales goods. It follows that the balance is on Victorian. New South Wales has the undeniable advantages of an easier tariff, a lighter duty, nearer railway communication, a New South Wales population, and prior possession of the ground; and yet, in spite of these manifest opportunities, the business is gliding south to Melbourne. Why not push on the Southern railway to the Murrumbidgee ? Why not have done it years ago ? It is not too late even now to do so; to make this town a great depot of inland traffic, and fight for the trade of Riverina. But let the Victorian Railway be completed to Wodonga, and we may bid a long good-night to this wealthy district of New South Wales.” (The Australian Town and Country Journal, 2nd April 1870, p. 10)
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