HORSES FOR AUSTRALIA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 9978, 2 May 1911, Page 3

HORSES FOR AUSTRALIA.

A ROUGH VOYAGE

MR ANDERSON'S VENTURE

Mr J. Anderson, oi Pahiatua, who left Wellington a iitte over throe weeks ago, with a shipment of seven horses from this district, comprising the stallion Rcrvni Gordon, five fillies and ono gelding, for the Sydney market has returned (says the Pahiatua Herald). The .steamer Whangape, by which the animals were shipped, had on board a rotai of 4;IJ horses, and some otlier stock for the Royal Agricultural Show in Sydney. The yearlings were worth over £1000. The shipment is said to be the largest ever sent to Sydney from thn Dominion. Another vessel left later with sixty animals. The horses were of a mixed variety, comprising Clydesdales, Shires, coachers and haeknnys, a< well as some thoroughbred yearlings aud Clydesdale stuliions, and were selected from all over New Zealand. During the voyage the steamer encountered stormy weather anil for three days after leaving Wellington the wind heiew with fnree. A nasrv enn-ed the ship to roll. a:ul on the second night out the. weather was so bad that thn captain was obliged to alter the course. The night wa.s described as something awful, and the hands were kepi; busy in picking up the horses. The gale rayed for hours, auti (lie Whiwigape rolled at a great rate. Whilst only tlirt c horses wore Insr on the voyage, several others never recovered from the effects. Mr. Anderson heard that in all twenty died, some at the wharf. The horses belonging to Mr Anderson, however, arrived in splendid condition.

i (, or some time r:\st high prices hr.v<> oeeij ruling for New Zealand horses in Sydney, and dealers have been operating freely The shipment, which Mr Anderson sent was ni tlm nature of an experiment, and he, reports that it was of a very satisfactory nature His consignments being all yoini'j aud frenli animals, he obtained excellent prices for them at auction. This was all the more gratifying, as Mr Anderson states the market was simply glutted, boatloads of horses arriving from various ports. Good, young, useful sorts sold readily, but for other classes there was only a very moderate demand. A lino of horses which had been running in expresses in Wellington, worth, say, £25 each, only realised half thuir value. The Clydesdale stallion, Bonnie Docm, which Mr Anderson sold at Abraham and Williams' horse sale in Pahiatua a few weeks ago, was disposed of by Mr Phyllis, at a very goofl figure. Mr Anderson iutended exhibitiug the Clydesdale Lord Gordon at the Royal Show, but the entry arrived too late. fie was offered a big sum on terms for the stallion, but preferred to .send it back to New Zeaiaml.

Mr Anderson intends sending another shipment of horses to Australia at an early date. The first consignment was shipped through the agency of the New Zealand Loan ami Mercantile Co., and ho speaks well of the arrangements made for the animals by that firm.