AUSTRALIAN HORSE MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 21

AUSTRALIAN HORSE MARKET.

DEPRESSING REPORTS. (Fr.oll Ur a Own Courksi-onpext ) INVERCARGILL, July 28. Messrs John Grant (Underwood} and J. Young and J. Lawson (Gore), who took horses across to the recent Melbourne sales, returned to Bluff by tho Manuka from Australia to-day. Mr W. Campbell, a Canterbury dealer, was also making a return to his province. la eonver.-at on with those gentlemen a Times reuoiter learned that fffihgs had f a il,.n very flat on tho Australian market this season, and where horses were nor being returned they had been disposed of at prices that were not at all commensurate with their value. Mr Young brought one of his horses back to Now Zealand by the* Manuka. Mr Grant, after agreeing with the statement made by the pressman ns to the rapid fall in the market at the Melbourne sales, said that prices were fully 50 per cent, lower than they were last year, and the 1912 season was far from being satisfactory. He was ashamed, ho said, to mention tho prices ho had secured for his horses. Previous to going across to Australia ho was sanguine that Tie would have secured figures more than double what actually came his way. “Then, mine were not fancy prices,” Mr Grant remarked, “ but things turned out such that you couldn’t give your horses away.” The market was getting worse every day, too, and lie would not fathom bedrock in it, it was dropping so rapidly. Mr Lawson endorsed the expressions given vent to by Mr Grant, and from tho tone of the information on horse market matters it appears as if New Zealand exporters have received a big sot back. Sou inlanders, of course, have shared largely in tine ill-fortune. Tho tightness

of money in the Commonwealth appears to bo tho primary cause of such a big and unexpected fall in horseflesh across the Tasman Sea. EXPORT OF CHEESE. THE HOME MARKET. PROPOSAL FOR CONCERTED ACTION. I-lAWURA, July 28. A meeting of cheese factory representatives in Taranaki was held at Hawera to-day to consider the matter of concerted action in marketing cheese during tho coming season. Eighteen factories were represented. The following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That this meeting of Taranald cheese factory companies recommends the cheese factory companies of the dominion to unite for the purpose of marketing our dairy produce in tho Home market. Failing dominion action, that Taranaki take tho initiative, and that some four or five good Home firms be selected to whom New Zealand consignments shall bo sent, and that consignors be represented by five representatives to act in conjunction with one member from each of the lour firms selected, the whole to form a committee to deal with the marketing of our produce to the best advantage.” The meeting elected a committee of seven to draw up definite proposals on the linos of tho resolution to be forwarded to the various cheese factories in the dominion It was decided to invite butter factories to join in the scheme.