THE ARMY HORSES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16610, 25 August 1919, Page 7

THE ARMY HORSES.

THEIR FATE IN EGYPT.

• Mounted men recontly returned from •Egypt do not confirm the official statement that the horses used by tho Anzao brigades are being adequately protected. They state that there is substantial reason for believing that some of the horses that carried New Zealand soldiers to victory in Egypt and Palestine will fine? their way eventually into the hands of the natives, who are notoriously cruel in their treatment of animals.

"Wo handed over our horses to a great remount depot," said ono of tho returned men to a "Dominion'' repcrter. "The depot took all tho horses, good, bad, and indifferent. We were given to understand that the animals suitable for further military service would be token over by the British Army authorities for use in the East. The other horses were to be sold. It was stated that there would be safeguards to prevent their reaching naitive owners of the lower class, but it seemed to me that this statement was mere camouflage. What safeguards would be possible when the horses were sold in the open market to civilian buyers? The remount officers might place some check on first sales but they could have no say regarding sales, and it is after tho horses become worn out and oonsequentlv cheap that they reach the hands of the worst element in the native population. As a matter of fart we saw ex-Army horses drawing native cabs in the streets of Cairo before -we left Egypt. The drivers scaroely use the reins. They drive with toe whip.