HORSE-BREEDING IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19058, 21 July 1927, Page 10

HORSE-BREEDING IN N.Z.

SIG DECLINE SHOWN. A SERIOUS POSITION. According to a report submitted by the Agricultural Committee of tho North Canteibury Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union to the meeting of that body yesterday, a serious position is facing the Dominion in regard to the breeding of horses. The report, which was presented as the result of a remit referred to it from the recent Provincial Conference, stated that the latest figures available for 1925-26 indicated that there was a danger of a very serious shortage of horses developing within the next few years, and of farming, operations being seriously affected thereby. They were as follows so far as Canterbury was concerned: — Geldings, 3 years and over ... 25,515 Dry mares, 3 years and over ... J Mares with foal, or to foal ... 2,715 Total number of horses ... 51,319 To keep up the stock of 51,319 mature horses 2715 foals were bred, and if a loss wore allowed of five per cent, (a rery low figure) there was bred only one' foal for every 20 horses over three years old or to put it another way, ; f the present rate of breeding was to be maintained each horse would have to live and work "P to the age of 23 years. The figures in respect of horses under three Tears old, which included the 1925-26 crop of foals, indicated that this state *!f things had existed for some <time. They were:— Fillies under 3 years ... 3,776 Colts or geldings under 3 years 3.121 Total 6,09 7 In other words, to replace the stock of 51,319 mature horses in Canterbury on January 31st, 1926. it would require 6897 young stock up to three rears old. or about one to every seven and a half The committee had not been able to investigate how lonpr this wont bsck. hnt Relieved th«t the 192627 won of foals was no larger than th* 1925-26. Tfce following fi,Y iires showed that a similar state of affairs ex'sted throughout the Dominion:— Horses in Dominion on January 31st, 1926: Geldings, 3 years and over 137,909 Dry mares, 3 years and over 125,650 Mares with foal, or to foal 14,999 Total mature horses ... 278,558 Foals bred (taken as equal to mares with roal or to foci) numbered 14,999, which was nearly the same ratio to mature «horses as Canterbury. Since 1917, when there were 373,600 horses in the Dominion, they had declined by 15.7 per cent., to 314,867 in 1926. This decline was probably justified by the motor trucks' invasion of the cities and towns, and by the considerable use of tractors on farms, but the lack of breeding, extending as it did back over a considerable period, threatened to reduce the numbers far below what these factors justified. Both statistics and observation indicated that a large number of horses ■were aged and must.be 'replaced soon, but how?. - Tfeß vCPWmittee was of opinion that tho present position was due largely to a lack of confidence in. the future of the horse among those who usually bred them occasioned' by the great development of motor rower and latterly by the general use or tractors. They were also of opinion that for farm work a very considerable number i of horses would always be necessary, that there was a decided shortage of young, good draught-horses and that this shortage would always be acute unless more breeding was undertaken at once. There were never better prospects for breeders than at present. It was recommended that arrangements should be. made to discuss the matter with the committees of the virions Canterbury A, and' P. Associations, and it was suggested that if later it was thought advisable to £old a conference of all concerned, including'military authorities and breed societies, this Should be arranged. In moving the adoption of the report, Mr W. W. Mulholland stressed the serious position that was developing. It would appear that at present about half of the horses in the Dominion were over ten years of age. The effect of the decrease would be that shortly it would only be the wealthy farmers who could afford to breed horses.' In his opinion farming was economically impossible I without horses. Something was necessary to restore confidence in horse breeders. He thought that in five or six years there would be a decrease of 50 per cent, in the horses in New Zealand.

This was seconded by Mr A. M. Carpenter, who stated that whoever was responsible for placing such a remit before the conference, and also the Agricultural Committee, were deserving of credit The report had dealt practically with draught-horses, but it had to be remembered that there was a shortage of horses for military purposes at the time of/ the war noticeable. Mr B. S. Roper thought that every man who had a team should do his best to keep it up. The chairman (Mr J. D. Hall) said that he agreed that New Zealand was drifting into a serious condition. It was a fact that more was heard of tractors to-day than-horses. Mr Roper said that he had heard a farmer say the other day that a man who was a farmer had said to him that s. person who sold his horses to get n tractor should "go up the Lincoln road."

The chairman - said that, personally, if ha could not afford-to, get both, a •ix-horse team and a tractor, he would go in for the latter. The report was adopted.

DECISION TO APPEAL.

SUPPLIERS TO AVON CO. A meeting of the suppliers of butterfat to the Avon Dairy Co., Ltd., for the sea-on 1924-25, was held at the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. There were a number of suppliers present, representing the various dis-! tricts in which the company had carried on its operations. j An opinion was read from Mr Wild-' ing, K.C., advising an appeal from the. decision of the' Supreme Court in the rceent ease of W. P. Kerr v. Avon Dairy Co., Ltd. (in liquidation). . j The meeting decided to appeal against ibe decision, and a committee of suppliers representing the various districts was set np for the purpose of collecting *unda from the various suppliers to enable the appeal to be prosecuted. «««* W. P. Kerr and 8. B. Quaife ZVSPE"* 0 * c » nvenor » of the commitwl&£ZH a £° ?f ci^ed that in the