Steam (1905)

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/191623503

(BY BRANGZA.)

Now listen for a moment, and heed well what I say,
I am going to speak about some folks who have lately gone astray.
The people all round Walcha, that are going insane indeed
About a blessed railway line—they have formed a railway league !

They want to run George Bowden off, break up his little team,
And have the Walcha traffic done by infernal railway steam.
Of course they'll shift some others, too, from off the well-known tracks.
And drive the poor old road men out to join the Congi blacks.

Now a railway line to Walcha ! Why that sounds rather queer,
They would only want to run the train about six times a year !
And I know that our great Government of that would soon get full,
And wish they'd left George Bowden there to cart the squatter's wool.

We must stop the railway movement, no matter what the cost,
We must crush the Walcha Railway league, or our little town is lost.
Let us put our heads together, and invent some great machine.
We will stop the Walcha railway league, or blow them up by steam.

Notes