THE HORSE MARKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 110, 15 June 1914, Page 11

THE HORSE MARKET.

IN THE SOUTH. 'Chatting with a SUN representative to-day, a Avell-known Christehurch horse dealer who has just returned from the big annual winter sale of horses in Dunedin remarked that the horse market in Otago and Southland was in a deplorable state at present, much worse there than in Christehurch he averred, though he admitted values were low enough here. Good working four and (ive-vear-old farm horses ranged from £lB to £22 at the Dunedin sale, the best price obtained while he was preseut was £:>9 for a perfect model of a filly that would have commanded at least £BO six or seven years ago. A Palmerston North dealer bought fourteen to take to the North Island, whereas the movement of draughts up till quite recently used to be from north to south. An Australian buyer secured three fine Shepherd Lad mares at prices that did not average £25 each. Light horses, with the exception of the best class tradesmen's sorts, were quite unsaleable. Apparently prices are much the same, or even worse,' in Southland as there were quite a lot from the south at the sale, and they were being sold at these figures after railage had been paid upon them. All round use; ful farm workers were from £7 to £lO more valuable in a Canterbury sale ring than in Otago at present he stated.