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shine, altliougli we cannot trace the distribution to its ultimate resting place,* 

 I now come to the effect of x-ailways upon the town and country popula- 

 tions i-espectivelj, and I may add reciprocally. Within my lifetime, which in 

 spite of my grey hairs is a very short time in relation to the progress of a 

 nation like England, London has increased from under one million to some- 

 thing over three millions of people. A very lai-ge part of this increaiee has 

 taken place since the institution of railways, and it is usually, and I believe 

 justly, attributed to the stimvikis given to production and trade by the rapid 

 development of the railway system, Bu.t it is also in part attributable to the 

 effect upon production and trade of the gold discoveries in California and 

 Australia. In America, and on the Continent of Europe, similar development 

 from similar causes is observable. But not to travel so far from home, let me 

 call your attention to what has taken place in Melbourne, because I shall 

 apply that case to New Zealand, with, however, a difference to be presently 

 pointed out. The Northern Kailway of Victoria reaches the Murray River at 

 a place called Echuca. The Murray River is navigable for steamers, except 

 during a few months in summer, for a distance of 1 754 miles. Its tributaries, 

 the Edward, the Wakoul, and the Billobong, are navigable during a part of 

 the year for about 300 miles. The Murrumbidgee, with its several expansions 

 or lakes, has been navigated to Gundagai, about 900 miles. The Dai'ling has 

 been navigated for some 800 miles, and the Lachlan has bees ascended, but I 

 am not aware how far. All these streams fall into the Murray, and they are 

 all shallow in the dry season, but at other seasons we have here specified an 

 inland navigation of some 4000 or 4500 miles. The Murray might be made 

 navigable during the whole year, but at present, in the dry season, when the 

 water is low, the channel is choked by snags. In 1862, there were twelve or 

 thirteen steamers on the Murray, measuring about 2500 tons, and moved by 

 about 450 horse-power, and these had an attendant flotilla of barges. As the 

 line from Sandhu.rst to Echuca has been opened since 1862, I have no doubt 

 that the tonnage has increased, but of this I have no account. The Murray 

 is the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria, and the country 

 north of the Murray, which is watered by the rivers already named, is usually 



* I may here mention, very briefly, that under the railway system proposed to be 

 established in New Zealand, the advantages of both saving and equalization of prices are 

 likely to be greater in proportion to the capital employed, and the proportion of popula- 

 tion directly reached, than in Victoria. When Victoria opened her 250 miles of railway, 

 the population was but little over half a million. By the system of inexpensive lines, 

 we should have at least four and perhaps five times the extent of railway for the same 

 money, with about half the population at first, and perhaps about the same niimber 

 when the lines are completed. Thus our railways mil penetrate to a greater distance, 

 and embrace and influence a much larger extent of country ; in other words, the 

 advantage will be brought within the reach of a larger proportion of the people. It is 

 quite impossible to calculate this ; but it must be very obvious. 



