DEMAND ONLY NORMAL

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 14

DEMAND ONLY NORMAL

Annual Spring Horse Sales NO UNUSUAL INQUIRY FOR HEAVY ANIMALS No phenomenal demand for farm horses to undertake the work performed by tractors and other mechanical farm equipment has followed the introduction of the petrol rationing scheme. There has been no unusual inquiry for heavy horses, although a Dominionwide canvass has been made to obtain an indication of the number of hacks that would be available for military purposes, says The New Zealand Herald. Several of the annual spring horse fairs in the North Island have now been held, but these have revealed no more than seasonal movements. The uncertainty of the times was reflected in the unsteady demand at the large offering at Cambridge, but subsequently conditions improved and the sale at Pukekohe saw farm horses realizing customary values. While the petrol licensing scheme extend: to fuel used for the maintenance of farm equipment, it is stated that no difficulties have been placed in the way of farmers securing their full requirements and consequently comparatively little machinery has been laid up. ATTITUDE OF FARMERS However, the disinclination of some farmers to initiate new capital commitments and the possibility of limited supplies of fuel have to some extent affected new sales of farm machinery. The manager of one firm said that a few potential clients who were on the verge of making purchases before the petrol restrictions had since decided against buying new plant. On the other hand, the new conditions have resulted in no saddlery boom. The demand for horse collars is re-' girded as a criterion of farm transport activities and, although several Auckland factories were busy in this work some weeks ago, they reported that their present business was certainly no more than normal. Similarly, other branches of the saddlery business are not working at high pressure. IMPORTATIONS FROM SOUTH “There is no dearth of good farm horses, the supply in the Auckland and Waikato districts being augmented in recent years by importations from the south,” stated an Auckland stock dealer. “Inquiries for heavy working horses may have been a little more frequent in the past few weeks, but they have not been sufficient to change the market position, and values are not materially altered.” Any expectations that the imposition of the petrol rationing system would see a mass return to horse and buggy transport have been far from justified. Motor traffic in country towns is still heavy, although some observers report that a few more harness horses are to be seen. Most farmers, however, are stated to find the present allowances of petrol sufficient to meet their essential needs.