SUBSIDY FOR HOUSE-BREEDING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 197, 30 April 1915, Page 2

SUBSIDY FOR HOUSE-BREED-ING.

l THE QUESTION DISCUSSED. . . .-. i

At Wednesday's meeting of the Gen- j era! Committee of <•-,.« Agricultural and j Pas'roral Associatl ■:•. detail:* of a | | scheme formulated !-y Mr. J. M. John-| stou, treasurer of the- Munawu+ir; !^t: ~°p ciati.on, was submitted tr.or approvals Mr. Johnston's letter detailing his sflierne is as follows:I wish to p'tf/nt out tlrat r\icis* qxc )*&% Iwoen 80 and 90 Agricultural ana Pastoral Associations holding -artnuaJ:' shows in the ppmi'fcion, and 1 roughly | estimate the ""ro-ypftuo derived from ; I membership from...these Assoc ia.tie-! iS j ["will total about*SSEtfQO. The Govcrnment last yea;- received a v'ery s : d> | stantial sum from t.Ke taxation of to- j the totalisator? on'd the increased ".•v- j "tion to be Ml fee ted for the year ;'-■ j closed is antieimitcd, to am ou.it 1<- a j sum of not lesaJJiM from £30,000 to £50,000, .estop.. Th§ iney&a?ed taxa-ion costs the" Auckland Racing) Club &VWC- \

extra this year and the' Mannwatu : Racing Club £700.' This should give a ; fair idea of-the large increase that has ; taken place in connection with this ex- , tea taxation on Racing Clubs. 1 claim that a good proportion of this sum '■ should be given by the C4oyernment as j a subsidy to Agricultural and Pastoral Assoeiatious'for the purpose of enabling j them tcunerease their prize-money and - encourage the improvement and promotion of horse-breeding, and generally assist Associations in this dirertion. This is the legitimate channel j for this money to follow. Assuming that ..-/the Government would give 10/- iir'thr £, it would I mean £15,000 to be distributed amongst j about SO Associations. This could not i

be considered a large sum for the pur- j poso. If 10/- was considered too great j a subsidy to ash. of course it could be reduced to any amount that may be j considered fair a'id reasonable. If the subsidy is given by the Government, of j course it will ';•.' to safe j guard it by detailed conditions and re- j strictions. r.a.d it ■ uist be given to orlv | absolutely bona fide Agricu.ltuial ar.- 1 Pastoral Associations, v ith substuuti: ! memberships, and who :;re doing good work in the districts they represent, and it should be subject to a stated expenditure to be given by each Associa- j tion directly towards the benefit of horse-breeding. I maintain that H I should be distributed amongst " all classes of horses, including draughts. There is no better breeding-ground for horses than Xew Zealand, and with encouragement of this kirn 1 !, it would induc.e fanners to profitably breed animals that will be useful as troop horses, artillery horses of the light and heavy kind for the ludi"n market, and

draught horses for the supply of the Australian market. In England, Ire- | land, and Scotland the Royal. Agricul- ! turn] and Pastoral Societies are well -p subsidised by the British Giovernment, ! f.r.d the Continental Powers give large j ■ ra >:f:•• in tlie same direction, especially | in connection with the breeding of [roup horses.- The Agricultural and | Pastoral Societies of Ireland were some years ago at an exceedingly low ebb for want of financial assistance, and j thanks to Sir Horace Plunkett, the Go- ! vernment came to their rescue, and. endowed them with large grants for the I purpose., with the result thai they are ! . r now in a very satisfactory position. j In the Dominion aU the Agricultural i and Pastoral Associations an- consider- | ablv hami)ered for want of funds. The ' ..

expenses are heavy, the,.' are subject. rates, cud they have v.o redress or as-| sistam e of suv kind p\-r«iit where re- j serves have been' put ..< their disposal | bv tie' Government. There is im. As- | sn.-iation in the Dominion that can carry ■ ■ on shows and give prize-money worth •■'.•A) i.ieting i'ur without assistance from ■lie general public by'way of a special in thei.l' resjn- live districts. I Ih'ah i j :m:-: ri;;ht in i-nyino- that there is no As- J societies absolutely self-supporting and | there certainly is none that can be! C termed fully equipped for the pnrpese !

most of the principal grounds large im- i pr..v: ruc-i.fs and buildings are necessary j bill- th.-?.." .-t-.nnot be erected fc-r want of j funds. This proposal, properly safe-! guarded :• ■•• fo distribution, would on-! !.!)!,. \s-.o«'i'itions to pive the necessary :,,:,! uri-to-da.tf accomodation that is re- ' q "- K ' :l ', ... ~.„ ~T ~ . ~, ~,,- j ! (-1 . .-. '■ -