Remounts for India.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2083, 9 March 1908, Page 6

Remounts for India.

A Commission for New Zealand.

At the present timi there are 21 firms in Australia and New Zealand engaged in the shipment of horses to India for the remount depots there. Last year Colonel Goad, head of the Remount Department of the Indian Government, paid a visit to Australia and New Zealand, and as a result it has been decided that in future commissions for the shipment of remounts will be limited to seven. Of these one will bo issued to New Z?ab nd. Colonel Goad’s memorandum stated that the commissions will he distributed as follows :—One for South Australia, one for Victoria, one for New South Wales, one for Southern (Queensland, one for Central Queensland, one for Northeu Queensland and the Northern Territory, and one for New Zealand. To avoid throwing out men who have done excellent work for the Government for many years, it is proposed to group together several of the present shippers into these seven firms, and by this arrangement all the best shippers will, it is suggested, be included in future commissions. Each commission will be given for the purchase over a certain area, and under no circumstances may a firm allotted to one area operate, either directly or indirectly, outside that area. To give ellect to these arrangements, remount agents are requested to ascertain from each of their shippers, with the least possible delay, the names of three other shippers with whom each is willing to combine, and who likewise arc willing to combine with him, and take orders as one firm. In many cases several shippers’ names will appear in different combinations, but this, the circular points out, will not matter, as the Director-General will rectify it when making his distribution. It is contended by breeders that the effect of the memorandum is to create seven limited combines, which will supersede the present 21 shippers from Australia and New Zealand. The effect will be to limit the competition for horses among breeders, and to that extent breeders will suffer.

The contract price which shippers now receive from the Remount Department is £ls per horse. Breeders have appealed to the Federal Prime Minister to receive a deputation in protest, because of interference with their proli's from competition, and because the restriction on a buyer to a circumscribed area for all the horses which he is to supply would be seriously harassing to the industry.