THE CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 13

THE CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

In the fifty-third annual report. 1929, of the Clydesdale Horne Society of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland the following interesting items of news occur:—The details of export certificates issued by the society during 1929 are as follows:—Canada 28. New Zealand 8, Australia 7, South Africa 6, U.S.A. 1, Austria I—a1 —a total of 51. The council have resolved to issue a second edition of the Clydesdale booklet, which has been out of print for about five years. From time to time inquiries have been received for copies of the booklet, and as its contents are strictlyaccurate records of fact they constitute valuable propaganda for the breed. Both Cawdor cups were competed for at the H. and A. S. Show at Alloa in July, 1929. The winner of the cup for stallions was Mr James Kilpatrick, Craigie Mains. Kilmarnock, with Craigie Winalot (21322), and the winner of the cup for mares and fillies was Messrs T. and M. Templeton, Sandyknowe, Kelso, with Fyvie Primrose (v. 50, p. 17). Both trophies will again be competed for at the H. and A. S. Show at Dumfries in July, 1930.

The council regrets that it is not of as favourable a nature as they would have liked. It may be said that the society and the breed have fully- held their own during 1929, but the long-ldoked-for improvement in trade generally, and especially in what are usually known as the “ heavy industries,” has not materialised, and until that improvement takes place there can hardlyj, be anticipated any extensive improvement in the demand for draught horses. There are, however, indications that, should that trade improvement take place, there will be an enhanced demand for these horses. It is generally admitted that there has been, since the earlier post-war years, a marked revulsion in favour of the horse, and it may now be accepted as a truism that for short-distance traffic, say-, within a radius of seven miles, the horse is much mbre economical than the motor. There has been a good demand all through the year for weighty Clydesdale geldings, and dealers complain that they cannot get enough of that type of horse. In Australia, in particular, there has been a distinct revival of interest in horse-breeding, and in the Clydesdale as distinguished, from other draught breeds. Export trade in 1929 was comparatively limited in volume, yet the Clydesdale was the only British draught breed which had an export demand. That demand covered some of the more outstanding yoling showyard winners of both sexes. High prices were recorded at auction sales in

Australia for mares and fillies descended not remotely from imported stock. An imported stallion made 630gns, and brood mares made SOOgns, 670gns, and 305gns. while a daughter of the SOOgns mare made 470gns. WOOL NEWS. The average price realised over all centres in the Commonwealth of Australia— Sydney, Brisbane, Victoria, Adelaide, West Australia, Tasmania—for wool during March was 9,10 d a lb, and the average value a bale was £ll 9s. The secretary to the Geelong Wool Brokers’ Association reports that the number of bales of wool sold in Geelong for March amounted to 17,544. The average price a lb realised was 10.31 d, and the average price a bale obtained was £l2 6s 9.68 d. The French Prime Minister (M. Tardieu) informed a deputation representing the woollen industry that he would at an early date grant reductions of the tax on wool amounting to £500,000. He promised carefully to examine the whole system of .wool taxation.

The fall in prices for New Zealand wool has had a pronounced effect upon the exports, especially as the quantity exported has been greatly reduced. The following table shows details of quantities and recorded values exported in periods of nincmonths with the corresponding totals for the full production years:— Nine months Twelve months to March. to June. Value. Value.

Wool alone is responsible for £5,312,178 of the total reduction in the exports for the nine months. It is valued in the trade returns at an average of £ls 12s a bale, <ys against £23 4s for the corresponding period last year, £l9 16s in 1925-26, and

£lB in 192 G-27. Tn the June quarter of 1926 the average value at which wool was entered was £lB 8s a bale, but in the corresponding period of 1927 the value rose to £22 15s. There is a movement in Australia at the present time to institute an Imperial wool control, and power is sought to enable graziers’ associations to collect each year not more than 5s in each £IOO detained for all wool grown in Australia to finance wool publicity and research. Mr W. J. Young, managing director of Elder Smith, and Coy., Ltd., Adelaide, made an important statement regarding wool control, which woolgrowers should carefully consider before linking up with any scheme. “ There is already control of the marketing of wool by'the joint council of woolgrowers and woolbrokers elected from the various State organisations,”’ said Mr Young. “ It is not easy to see that improvement can be effected by any further control, but there are possibilities of great harm resulting if, in a counsel of despair, the woolgrowers are rushed into any kind of a pool plan. The most urgent matter at the moment is to stimulate the demand for our wool. “The suggestion of an Imperial pool may create hostility among other nations, which at present buy the bulk of our wool. The w-00l market is already showing excellent signs of recovery, resulting from an improved demand. No amount of legislation or restricted offerings can compel consumers overseas to use wool or buyers to buy it.” - “ We have seen in the last two or three years the failure of the Stevenson stabilisation plan for rubber, the failure of the Brazilian stabilisation plan for coffee, and the failure of the Canadian wheat pool. Even commodities like lead and zinc, each uniform in quality, held under control in few and skilful hands, have had to face a heavy fall in price. It is perhaps natural that some woolgrowers, having in mind the operations of the central wool committee in handling the Imperial wool purchase in the war and the liquidation of the Bawra stocks after the war. have an exaggerated idea of the powers of control. The position to-day is different. Growers have always

been able to obtain liberal advances against wool in store, and there is no reason to suppose that such advances will not be available in the future.” JOTTINGS. The continued dry weather is playing havoc with the turnip crops in Otago, and for days now they have been standing still, even going off in many places. The party of farmers from the Auckland province which was to have visited Otago and Southland this winter, will not now make the trip. The Railways Department has been advised to cancel all arrangements made, as it has been found impossible for the party to run the excursion this year.

In June of this year a party, of New Zealand farmers will pay a visit to Australia after the manner of the interisland visits that were exchanged last year. It is proposed that the tour should occupy about six weeks, and the cost has been estimated at about £ll5. Full particulars of file excursion may be had from Mr F. Paweon, railway business agent at Christchurch, who has charge of the arrangements.

Indications at the present time point to the Otago A. and P. Society’s annual Winter Show being equal, if not superior, to any of its predecessors. The schedule that has already found its way into the hands of hundreds of exhibitors, is an excellent one, covering a wide variety of exhibits, and catering for every type of produce that is usually to be found at such an exhibition. The dates this year are May 31. June 2,3, 4, and 5.

As far as it at present known the only farmers’ excursion to Otago and Southland this year will, be made by a large body of Hawke's Bay farmers, who are due to arrive in Dunedin on June 25, leaving again the next morning for Central Otago and Southland, and making a brief stay in Dunedin on their return on July 3. The party will spend two days at Queenstown and will also visit Invereargill and various parts of Southland. The journey north will be resumed from Dunedin on July 5. It is considered that wool reached the bedrock level ■ at the Wellington March sale, for at the sales held at Wanganui, Timavu, and Dunedin subsequently there was a progressive improvement in prices. At the London January series of sales the closing prices showed a 5 per cent, advance on opening rates, and again at the March-April series a similar movement was recorded. These definite movements seem to warrant the opinion that wool has turned the corner, and it will be the wish of everyone that this will be confirmed at subsequent London sales. Thirty farms in North Bungulla and South Yorkrakine. in the wheat belt of Australia, were damaged by the worst Storm in the history of the district, according to a recent report. Converging from various small watercourses a wall of water eight feet in height swept through the lower lying country after a cloudburst, and devastated the farms in its course. In one place a pile of hailstones more than three feet in height was found against a fence. Farmers have asked that the Government send gangs of unemployed to the district to repair the damage.

A verj’ interesting position has recently been disclosed respecting several of the cheese factories of the district, for which less milk than was received last year a much larger quantity of cheese has been made. No one seems to know the exact reason for the increased yield of cheese, as the butter-fat tests are not appreciably higher than last year. Unfortunately, that bugbear of the factory manager—openness — is much more evident in cheese than usual, and the trouble must be fairly general, as the director of Massey College, who is an ex-pupil of Waikouaiti School, informed one factory manager that they have the same trouble, and, so far, have not been able to trace the cause.

There was a fair yarding of stock, principally ewes, at the Duntroon sale on Wednesday. Bidding was slo-w, and prices on a par wiht last week.. Best twotooth halfbred ewes made to 255, small 17s 6d to 20s Bd, four-tooth halfbred ewes 22s 6d. guaranteed sound-mouthed Romney crossbred ewes 18s 9d to 225, full-mouthed Jialfbred ewes 13s, aged ewes in low condition Is 3d to 3s, and in good condition up to 7s 7d, four-tooth halfbred wethers 12s 6d, fat and forward rape lambs 15s to 17s, one-shear Border Leicester rams sgns to 6Jgns, aged Border Leicester rams llgns to ligns, aged Romney 2 gns. Forward condition three-year-old steers made £9 12s fid, 21-y ear-old £4 10s to £6 ss, and yearlings £6. Best weaner pigs brought 15s to 17s.’and small 12s fid. For research to be carried out in New Zealand on fruit production and storage, the Empire Marketing Board, at a recent meeting, made a cap.ital grant of £2OOO to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and a five-year maintenance grant of £l5OO per annum. The grant is contingent upon the New Zealand Government contributing a share. A tentative scheme already drawn up provides for the purchase of an experimental orchard, and the research wifi comprise investigations into cool storage, transport, disease, and insect control, nutrition, physiological diseases, and root stock propagation of New Zealand fruit. There will be collaboration between the Departments of Agriculture, Scientific and Industrial Research, the Cawthron Institute, the New Zealand fruit-growers and scientists at Home.

Mr C. Weighton, veterinary surgeon attached to the Government Agricultural Department, Dunedin, visited Balclutha last week, and in company with Mr George Reid, local stock inspector, inspected the work of the meat graders at the Finegand Freezing Works. Afterwards a visit was paid to Waiwera South, Te Houka, and other parts of the district. with a view to inspecting and testing dairy cows for tuberculosis. Mr Weighto.n reports that the districts visited were on the whole remarkably free from that dread scourge of the dairy farmer, T. 8., as it is familiarly called. Where cattie are found to be infected the law is that they must be destroyed, and the owner receives half compensation from the Government in the case of all animals over 12 months old. Under 12 months no compensation is paid. Dr J. A. Gilruth, in an article in an exchange, summarises the findings of experiments in frozen beef as follows:— Briefly, the practical effect of these exhaustive experiments is that young beef from small, compact carcasses of good quality suffers comparatively little from the effects of freezing, and, as that is the class of beef the consumer prefers, irrespective of the source, it behoves the Australian breeder and fattener of cattle for the export market to meet his demands as far as possible. It is not only the consumer in Europe who show’s a preference for young beef; the same preference is manifested in Australia, as is evident by market prices published week by week. And what applies to beef applies to mutton even more forcibly. Lamb frozen, as well as fresh, commands a higher price per pound than mutton. Frozen lamb of prime quality commands in Britain a price almost equal to that of the best home killed. New Zealand has taken advantage of the public taste, as well as natural processes. Let Australia follow suit both in beef and mutton for export.

Bales. £ Bales. £ 1925 ■117,791 13,740,182 574,189 18,087,364 1920 451,325 8,936,550 618,989 12,030,185 1927 459,628 8,308,877 660,381 12,883,971 1928 522,955 13,144,819 667,225 16,54 8.869 1929 491,422 11,657,980 687,833 15,923,157 1930 406,855 6,345,802 — —