CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 218, 3 June 1918, Page 8

CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY

! '' . . ANNUAL MEETING. .. The seventh annual mcoting of the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zea- [ land was held in Dunedin this week, and : ivas largely attended. There Were pre- | Bent several members from the North Island, and all the leading districts of | Otago and Canterbury .were represented. In the absence of. the president (Mr, D. ; G. Wright, Windermere),' who'; has been ! called .up., and has .'camp, "Sir.'' J. "Av-Johnstone. was voted to the chair. ' ,In' ; his'address, Mr. .Tohnstono'stated 1 that in the existing state of the. draughts ■ ' ' . horse market it was not an. easy matter to persuade the farming, community of { tie need for such. a society as theirs, ..for they all'knew from experience that ; -the industry had not been a profitable ! one for the last four or five years. How- ■ ■ ever, in' spite of that fact, the breeders i of Clydesdale horses in New Zealand ' vere aware that had .they been.nearer ■ the theatres of the great war-they would I . . ■ have experienced an unlimited and most i . demand for ns many thons-

I ands of draught and ..half-draught horses "as the Dominion could supply." Never before in tho history of the heavy horse "breeds had farmers in Britain received such phenomenal prices for their stock . as since the war began." In proof of this statement, the speaker quoted a few examples. In the "United States of America, and- in Canada too, the trade was very prosperous. In Australia there was nn improved demand for really first-cliis* y.oung Clydesdale mares and fillies, with registered nedigrces, and well-bred heavy young geldings were in . strong ' request. Prices in Australia, were, rather better ' .than they were a year ago, but of course, owing to the war and the cessation of public works, there had been-no/phenom-enal rise in values. _He tlj ought _ a marked. improvement in prices was inevitable' -when once the waT came to an end, and, the development work of the Commonwealth could again be proceeded with. A better time, however, was in store for the men who had .had the courage and the foresight to look.into the future. There were many who predicted that the tractor plough would replace the horse-drawn implement upon the , land; . but'' he was not one of those. That on level and light land

- the' motor-driven plough had come to stay he did v not doubt—but so far as he had been able to investigate the matter, the motor plough on heavy lands and on hilly country had : not : been a success: In Australia,, which had always been the besWiharket for our" Clydesdales, '■ the land policy of the Commonwealth Government was for the breaking up of the large.estates and for the resultant closer settlement of the people upon the. land. At no distant date, therefore, bethought we might look forward to that practi- . ~ cally .-unlimited market being again ' , ODen to our horse breeders,' and when that'took place the. trouble would be to meet the demand. The vital import- ' ance of live stock- breed societies had only of recent years come to be. recognised, but nowadays it was quite as impossible to sell a high-class stud animal of any description without the breed society's .certificate of the pedigree and . the Government veterinary certificate of freedom.from hereditary unsoundness, as it would be for .anyone to attempt-to sell a' freehold estate without a title deed. After.,the war'it must be the' en- , deavour 'of '.kindred societies to induce the Government of. the Dominion to establish agricultural; colleges in botlv islands; and ifythey were to excel \ in all matters pertaining to the .soil the sons and daughters of our farmers must be encouraged to avail themselves, to the utmost of their powers to take full adTahtage of the opportunities that attendance at these colleges would' - afford tHem. ■ :". ' " '

The motion for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet was carried. v Mr.. Alex. Hunter (Hawera) «id that the' past year had been one of stagnation to a certain extent. After a pqji- , siderable time ■ the secretary resigned,, intimating that he fopnd it impossible to carry on the work. The General Purposes/ Committee met in Wellington on .Tuly 27, 1917J and" accepted the resignation, appointing'Mr.'A. D. Perkin, of Hawera (secretary of the Egmont A. and P; Society), Scarry oiutho work.'- Th.V: secretary had drawn out a statement of the; society's financial, position, showing that, provided members met their obligations, the society would be in a reasonably eqund position. It was in the hands of

.members to make the society a strong ■ one, for its.main assets .'.were, of course,subscriptions. A matter of disappointment, which had given members and affiliated A. and P. societies just cause 'for.'gTievance- had been the delay in delivering the society's .medals. Unfortunately,, one consignment went to' the bottom.. A further order was sent, but no acknowledgment had been '-received, -so ' that apparently had also gone astray. In the. British .Clydesdale Horse, Society's , annual report mention was made of the .difficulty in supplying uierr medals, owing to shortage of labour and also of metals, so that ftey should probably be a bad second in any case. The election of office-bearers for the

'current year resulted as follows:—Presi--'dent, Mr. James Knight vicepresidents—North Island, Mr. J. E. Sutherland (Gisborne), and Mr. Quentin Donald-(Featherstdri); South Island, Mr. J. D.:Wyllie (Sefton), and' Mr. G'.'C Ihomson (Wairongoa). . Council: ■■ North Island—Mr Quentin Donald (Featherston),Mr. Alex. Hunter (Hawera), Mr. -Yv\- C. Park '(Cambridge), Mr. A. M'Nichol (Wnikato); South Island-Mr. ,T. Bong, 3«nr. ffircokside), Mr. J. D. Wvllie (Sefton), Mr. T: Logan, (Otama). Mr. G. C Thomson (Wairongoa).' Mr. James Birtles (Waikouaiti) was elected to the council in'place of the late Mr. William .Charters. Mr. Alex. Hunter (Hawera) "was., elected: treasurer, ; and the anpointment of an auditor was left in his bands.,' .'.,.:. The foll&wing : new.members were elected : Life member, Mr., John It. Blair (Tnieril: members—Mr. Alex. Brown, 'jnnv. fMorvenJ.-'Mv; John Paul (Stratford), Mr. Harry Rhodes (Paterangi), Mr. Teillia.ni PWiards (Cardiff), Mr.- Alex. Campbell (AVoodside). '