ANNUAL MEETING

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 11 July 1921, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Clydesdale Horse Society of the Dominion of New Zealand was held at the Breeders' Club, on the Manawatu A. and P. Society ground, Palmerston North, on "Wednesday June 22. A fair attendance of members was, in the unavoidable absence of the president, Mr. Quentin Donald, presided over by Mr. W. G. Park, of Te Awamutu, vice-president. The following report was submitted to the meeting:—

The business of the society has been more alive during the past year than it has since pre-war times. During the year 49 new members have been elected, which, is more than the aggregate for the preceding five years. A number of members have shown renewed interest by Paying xip arrears in subscriptions and by registering their stock. No doubt; the increased activity in the market has been responsible for this. Work horses have been in good demand, and the supply has been limited. One pleasing feature has been the keen competition at dispersal sales for well-bred mares jand fillies, especially those combining character, quality,, and soundness.

Very few exports have been made during the year. Two stallions have been imported, Shanter (17493) from Australia, and Myroe Footprint (19207) from Britain. Few breeders availed themselves of the scheme of veterinary inspection, and it is to be hoped that the interests of the owners, and of the breed in this direction, will not be neglected.

The transfer of registered stock, when sold, is a matter of great importance to the society, and the purchasers. It is necessary that when sales are made notices of change of ownership should, without delay, be sent to the secretary. Failure in this respect wilt lead to expense and possibly to disqualification. It is one of the best safeguards against the confusion of pedigrees, whether accidental or intentional. It is pleasing to report that breeders as a rule recognise this, and a large number of notices have been /received and certificates issued during the year. It has proved one of the best means of strengthening the cociety and bringing in new members. From our balance sheet it will be seen that our assets have now been reduced to bedrock. To ou,t liabilities must be added about £50 for medals which have been awarded, but not yet supplied. The receipts from all sources for the year 1919-20 amounted to £225 10s 9d, and for 1920-21 to £678 5s 6d. Payments in 1919-20 totalled £488 5s 3d, and in 1920-21 £364 18s lid. We have therefore received £'452 14s 9d more and paid out £123 6s 4d less. Since the annual and council meetings in Dunedin. last yea,r the council have met at Wellington in July and at Mas- j terton in February.

Volume 4 of the Stud Book is now o-.,t of the press, and a number of copies have already been oosted out; The cost of ' printing; has been considerably less than for Volume 3.

Gold meda's offered by the British Clydeidale Horse Society were for the past show season allotted to Southland and Waikato A. and P. Associations. At the former Messrs Thomson sud Co. won the medal for stallion with Scotland's Victor (1198, Vol. 4), and Mr. D. G. Wright's Mona Ronald (1579, Vol. 3) won that for mare.

The Wright, Stephenson Cup was annexed at the. Dunedin stallion show by Mt. C. M. McLean's Scotland's Success (17621) 726, Vol. 2, and the Union S.S. Co.'s enn was awarded at Carterton to the Donald Estate's May Blossom (35678) 1298, Vol. 3. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, the chairman said that he had not come with any prepared remarks. The society had passed through hard times, but had now turned the corner, and was at last on the road to success. The? Lad been unfortunate in tlieir secretaries to a certain extant, and. with the low prices for horses for a number cf years, interest in the work of the society had waned. However, things had altered for the better in that direction, and, with the economy practised during the last two or three years, the society had been placed on a much better footing. Mr. J. A. Johnstone, of Bushy Park, Palmarston South, seconded the motion and spoke as follows :—

"I think the society is to be congratulated upon surviving the adverse conditions under which it' has struggled during the past few years, and if there is one member more than another who deserves our thanks it is our esteemed colleague, Mr Alex. Hunter, of Hawera. I thitok he has metaphorically carried the society on his own back. Certainly the thought of it has been ever present in his mind, and we can never be sufficiently grateful to him for all he has done for us. Mr. Hunter has worked night and day for the furtherance of the objects of the society, and the more favourable condition we find ourselves in to-day is mainly due to his personal efforts.

"We must not, however, delude ourselves into thinking we are now out of the wood and that there are no difficulties whatever ahead of us. The fact is that if the society is to have the great influence which is its due in the draught horse breeding industry, then every member, whether he serves on the council on- not, must make himself individually responsible for doing something definite on its behalf. If members cannot, by reason of distance from headquarters, attend the annual and other meetings, they can at least become propagandists of the society, and seek to increase our membership, and, by correspondence, assist the secretary in any inquiries he may have to make as to the true breeding of horses in their different districts.

"I think this is a fitting opportunity for me to say that never since the society was formed has it been so apparent as" it is to-day that the size and quality of our Clydesdale horses is not being maintained. This is, I think chiefly due to the fact that for some years past very few importations of really high class stallions or mares have been made from Scotland. One, of course, would naturally think that from former importations there should he descended some good stock of both sexes, and no doubt these would have been more plentiful but for the fact that most of the best colts and fillies of that time were purchased here for the Australian market, which was then in a buoyant condition. To-day the Clydesdale bred of horses is of a lower standard than it used to be, qt should be,' because of that lack of wisdom on the part of many of our members in disposing of our best stock for the sake of immediate profit. The duty of our stud masters is to immediately set about restoring the prestige of the New Zealand bred draught horses, and this can only be done by imnorting some good sires and mares from the Homeland. In this connection I can say % quite definitely that Scotland was never in a better position, both as regards numbers and quality, to provide us with the ] class of horses we most require, and, wj&at is of supreme importance" too, at much more moderate prices than were ruling: during the war period. "I si»all be very glad to confer with « any meiriber present and to correspond with any who are not with us to-doy who may htije such an intention iii

view, and I shall be able to assist them very materially in their contemplated purchases.

".b'ui-tiier, I think we^in New Zealand have reached, a posititon in connection with the importation of stud stock from Great Britain when the breed societies and. pastoral societies of the Dominion should band together to ask the Government of the day to either do as is done by the South African Government —that is, bear the 'cost of bringing out stud horses, cattle, and sheep—-or subsidise those who are enterprising enough to undertake the business. It will rightly be urged that the importation of stud stock should be left to private enterprise, but these importations are for the ultimate good of every stock breeder, and for the matter of that, of every inhabitant of the country. Owing to, the Government policy of closer settlement of land, very many of the large landowners, men who have been chiefly responsible for the famous New Zealand etud herds and flocks, have had to go out of business, and it is not practicable for the smaller stock breeders to undertake without assistance from either the Government or the great shipping companies, or both, the costly importation of stud stock. In their own interests it would be a wise policy on the part of the shipping lines to carry stud stock to New Zealand free, for in the future they would certainly gain as a result of this quite small concession to the farmers of New Zealand.

"The most vital interests of the Dominion render it imperative that ou;r stud herds and flocks should be replenished, for unless this is done and the good name that New Zealand has had for high class live stock not only maintained, but further improved, we shall pay a high price for the deterioration already everywhere apparent, and in danger of being accentuated. It will I think, be generally admitted that it is mainly upon the quality of our exports and the products of our live sjfcock that the prosperity and wealth of this country has been built up. It goes without saying, therefore, that, in view of increased land values, higher wages, and heavier taxation now ruling, unles our farmers realise that they must produce more -and better quality stock and produce: than they have ever done before, they cannot hope to succeed in improving their positions. "In these times of stress everyone engaged in the primary industries of New Zealand, whether a dweller in the country or in the town, has a heavy burden to bear, and unless he bravely faces his difficulties, practises the strictest economy, and seeks to further improve his methods of farming and stock raising, he will find ft a hard matter to make ends meet. Personally, I believe this land has a great and successful future, but only if each and all of us rise to the present occasion." The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, G. C. Thomson,'Dunedin; vice-presidents, J. Birtles (Waikouaiti), J. D. Wyllie (Sefton),. W. G. Park (Te Awamutu), A McNicol (Clevedon). , To fill the vacancies of retiring members of the council the following were elected: Q. Donald, A. Hunter W G. Park, A. McNicol, D. G. Wright, ?'. Logan, G. C. Thomson, J. D. Wyllie. Mr H. B. Burdekin was reappointed as auditor.

The usual votes of thanks were carried, -s " ' ■ ' •