CLYDESDALE HORSES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2794, 12 June 1916, Page 8

CLYDESDALE HORSES

MATTER OF MARKETS . ..... "/SOCIETY'S ANNUAL MEETING. •Tiie fifth annual general meeting of tHo Clydesdale Horse Society of lN'ew Zealand was held in Dunedin on May 3i. . , . In moving the'adoption of the annual Toport and balance-sheet, the chairman referred to the fact that the market for Clydesdales had been dull for some two years, but with the welcome rains which had been falling over the country they lnight look for an increasing demand for really good animals at satisfactory prices. Already, the market being almost bare of supplies, serviceable geldiugs with size, weight, and activity were in keen demand, and members would be well ad-, vised in leaving the shipping of. entire colts to Australia to the Australians themselves. The market there would be all the better for." a little neglect now. It-was satisfactory to note that in spite of- dull times the membership kept up, and that at. the meeting of the council held that morning. no less, than 27 new members .had: been elected. ' He felt that in the; more favoured districts which had ' not been troubled with drought more members could be secured, and in order that the good work-of the society might go on, ho strongly urged every member to make an effort this year to add another to tho roll.

.Mr. Johnstone, in seconding the motion for the adoption of the annual ro . port and balance-sheet, .said: "Neither the one nor the other are what wo could wish them to be, but that I am persuail- :. Ed is not because of any waning interest in the breeding of horses that this;society was iormed to loster and improve, but is almost wholly due to the fact that uur besh market, Australia, has been practically closed to us for the past two years, owing to the unprecedented drought experibneed in the CommonHealth. Tho lack of demand for the Australian market has been., reflected ; here, witlithe result that tho trade'in ordinary working draught horses has be■'come, comparatively speaking, unremunerative. However, us the report sets 10'i'th, there is already a silver lining to thii cloud: the drougnt in Australia has b'fSken up, and the outlook for those who-have not lost heart , and who have retained their best animals for breeding . and export purposes, is that they will net very- fair prices for any good stock tney may take over to the other side. Of course New Zealand itself is a smaller market, but, nevertheless, when an outstanding good entire coitror a first-class four or five-year-old gelding, or a superior filly or . mare is put on the market I'ney command good competition and payable prices; but one must emphasise u agaiii and again that for badly-bred animals, lacking in quality, substance, and activity, there is almost no demand. I do not overlook the fact that ■ motor : ■ traction has to some extent interfered with.{he demand for draught horses for city and country wagon work, but in spite of this. 1 regard the future pros- " pects for breeding of Clydesdales as reasonably good, and it behoves the mem- ■ bers of this society to be even more united and whole-hearted in the future than they have been in the past to liaintain and improve the standard of the breed in this Dominion. I am convinced'that it, luey betray, enterprise and skill in most important agricultural work, that in due time they will be amply re-, compensed for their labour and outlay. The home of-the breed is in Scotland/ and there at the present time breeders of Clydesdale horses are reaping the ricuest harvest in ; the shape of high prices for their .stock that have ever been known in the-History of the breed. New Zealand is the Britain of the South, and, as I have already said, if. our breeders liave the courage and the necessary knowledge and experience to do justice to the breeding of Clydesdales, they, too, will come in for their good time." Mr. C. J. Reakes .(Government Veterinary Surgeon), in referring (o the depression of the Australian market,. said ho was quite sure that, things would be better. did not: boic on ..the sliglit. .falling-otf as a serious matter, but as a temporary, phase. He was quite sure that ~ the society was doing a work that was beneficial to,:'the best interests of the Dbminion jis.iv yhole. •' The motion was carried. " ■ The following office-bearer? were elected for..'the- ensuing year; arid in no case was/.anHelection necesasry:—President, , Mr,jT.;;^y:- ; Harding, Mount fernon, WaiNorth Island— MessrsXiJas. - Knight (Feilding) and .Tames,J.Grant; Hawera;, South Island— Messrs.-John Boag.tjun. (Brookeule, Canterbury)':and 'George. C. -Thomson (North Taieri. -i Coiincil; : | Messrs. James Grant (Hawera),!!Harding, R. D. D. Ernest Short ■ (Mosgiel), John Shearer, (Ashburton), Thos. Muir' (Palmerston);. .lonaldM'CaUum. (Blenlieim); auditor, Mr; v 'Peter Barr.