AUSTRALIAN HORSE MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 20

AUSTRALIAN HORSE MARKET.

"ABSOLUTELY LIFELESS." Some three weeks ego Sir. John Beck left tho Bluff for Melbourne with a consignment of draught horses. Mr. Beck returned on Monday Inst, and gave a reporter his opinions in regard to the stale of tho Melbourne horso market. According to tho Invercargill correspondent of tho Otago "Times," Mr. Beck described the market as being absolutely lifeless. Prices in Melbourno, ho said, wore fully ,£lO a head lower than those prevailing in Southland, and tho market was being, crowded out with horses from the outsido country. The same stamp of horse whien last year brought from 80 guineas to 00 guineas was being sold in Melbourne now at .£SO. Asked as to what reasons influ-

en""d the drop in prioee, Mr, Beck said tli„i in the first place there was every indication of a drought. Feed in consequenco was being conserved as much as possible, and was fetching big values. Oats sold nt Ss. Gd. a bushel, ana chnff at JCS , 10s. a ton, whilo last year oats brought' only 2s. Gd„ and chaff £3 10s. Dear feed had always the tendency to make horses Elentiful, and the market was at present eing flooded with surplus stock, from tho back country. On his consignment. Mr. Beck contracted a loss, while of the 93 hoTses purchased in Now Zealand by Messrs. Murphy and Caffory, and submitted for sale last week, only six found purchasers, and nt prices which entailed a loss. As showing how tho bottom, has fallen out of the Melbourne horse market, Mr. Beck told of a man engaged in an extensive carrying trade in that city who purchased a splendid line of upstanding five-year-old geldings up the country. Landed in Melbourne, those horses cost their purchaser only £32 10s. Indeed, it tooked as if horses could be imported from Victoria to Now Zealand with' profit, There was no demand whatever for anything abovo six years old. Mr. Beck had contemplated ranking another trip with a line of stallions for tho Sydney Show. Now, however, he does not conto lplabe going, as ho believes that tho stallion market thero will 1)0 listless, in sympathy with the Melbourne horse market.

a magnificent view of Kelson town and harbour. Kvery room is connected with the fire escape which encloses Hie building, and thujj gives security to the most nervous of travellers. The bedrooms show plenty of light, and are evidently woll attended to, everything being spotlessly clean. A feature of tho establishmont is tho table, which is under the supervision of nit experienced chef, n ''jl> ° first-class menu. Mr. and Mrs. M'Oillivrny were formerly of Fcilding. As may bo easily understood from tho foregoing the hotel commands a large amount of patronage from tho travelling public.