Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 803, 27 July 1905, Page 7

Sporting Topics.

(By

“The Judge.”)

Maniopoto has been well backed for the Doncaster Handicap, and is now quoted at 8 to 1 for the big Melbourne fixture.

Oui old friend, “ Father Bill” Lyons, after defeating J. J. Smith in his first heat in Sydney’ Tattersall’s tournament, was in turn beaten by the favourite, Jones, for the club’s big biliard event of the year.

Private advice from Sydney states that Up-to-Date has two engagements, the Caulfield G.N. Steeplechase, and the Steeplechasers’ Handicap Flat Race, run next month at Caulfield.

St. Harp (with Potts for a pilot) has done some schooling work at Ellerslie. The big chestnut shaped fairly well in his initial attempt.

The Hotchkiss stallion Swordfish 11. is back again at Glenora Park after three seasons of stud duty at Pahiatua.

Romeo, who has been well supported in doubles during the past week in the Christchurch G.N. Hurdles, has been schooled over small jumps at Paeroa. The trainer (P. Jones) has taken every precaution against the son of Leolantis getting hurt by having the gelding worked in knee caps.

Mr. J. George has arrived from Taranaki and is staying at his old quarters at Green Lane. He has a counle of horses with him-for sale, these being a full brother to' Durable, three years old, handled but untried, and the ex-pony Matena, both in good condition.

Last week the local double, Inniskillen and Newtown for the Christchurch G.N. double, came with a rattle, and was backed for all the available money in the market down to 50 to 1. Altogether about £6OOO was picked up in the big betting centres, the commission being for .h? stable.

Inniskillen, while being schooled on Saturday morning in company with Haydn, fell while negotiating the double jump through over-jumping at the first obstacle. Although Howard was shot out of the saddle for some distance, neither rider or horse was any the worse for the accident.

The three names chosen by Mr Bradley for his colt by Soult—Lady Musket, viz., Punui, Pukeoro, and Steel Gun, were all vetoed by the Chairman of the Racing Conference. Let us hope that the Maori nomenclature will be abandoned, for a good fighting name should be easily found.

One of Auckland's old jockeys, known amongst friends as “ Chum” Pearson, who was formerly in the late J. Kean’s stable, has returned after 14 years’ residence in different parts of the Australian States. Pearson has bought a fine upstanding three-year-pld colt by Arnie— Ocean, and has the horse looking blooming, but has not started to gallop his charge yet.

I do not know whether the majority of New Zealand jockeys are as energetic as the light-weight, G. Price, but, if so (writes “ Pilot” in the “ Referee”) trainers in that country are to be envied. Price, who is over here on a holiday, and has no particular intention of following his occupation in Sydney, is a constant attendant at the Randwick training track, and rides work regularly with a view to being in form on his return to New Zealand.

A Perth paper says that the cost of conveying horses free to their spring meetings, which commence next month, will cost the Goldfields’ Clubs about £BOO.

To date there has been very little doing in the local betting market on the big events ahead (says the “ Sydney Mail.”) For the Epsom Handicap the New Zealand horse Maniopoto has received some quotations for that event, both being at 12 to 1. About Emerald 14 to 1 can be obtained, with from 100 to 5 on offer against the others. Tartan is nominal favourite for the Metropolitan at 10 to 1.

M. Blanc was represented in the Grand Prix de Paris by the Flying Fox colt Vai d’Or, who started favourite at 7 to 4 against. Vai d’Or failed to do better than run fourth, Finasseur (7 to 2) winning by two and a-half lengths from the crack filly Clyde. The runners included two English colts in Shah Jehan and Plum Centre.

Rumour has it that Waitarere, being scratched for the Chritschurch G.N. events, P. Johnston will have the mount on Kiatere. The top weight in such capable hands should start about favourite.

From India comes word of the death cf the American-bred horse Vasto, who won the Viceroys Cup. 1902.

J. Thorpe has Apologue in nice mellow condition, and is giving the half-brother to Gladstone and Gladsome long mediumpace work, which looks like fitting the colt to stay over a distance of ground.

Both King Billy and Boomerang have been left in the Great Northern Guineas, and all going well with them to the day the pair will be terribly hard to beat in the race in question.

By virtue of the will of the late Mr. George Adams, £lOOO of unclaimed prizes to the end of the year 1897 has just been distributed among various charities in the Commonwealth and in New Zealand.

The death of Far Niente is reported from Mr. J. R. Smith’s Tucka Tucka stud, on the Macintyre River. Far Niente, who was 18 years old, was by Galliard from Lotus, by Doncaster, and was imported by Messrs. Hill and Long for the Hobartville stud in 1892. He was a successful sire, inasmuch as he sired Sequence and Pendant, as well as many other useful winners.

“ Miller’s Sporting Pamphlet for 1905” has come to hand, and as usual it contains an immense amount of information. In addition to very full particulars as to the placed performances of the horses engaged in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, a host of turf records are also given. The best performances in every branch of sport are also embodied, thus making the book simply invaluable to the lovers of all-round sport.

The Queensland crack sprinter, Forge, is in such excellent trim (says the‘ ‘ Referee”) that it is to be hoped he puts in an appearance at Randwick in September. At the Q.T.C. Meeting on Saturday, with the steadier of list 61b, he won the Flying Handicap, six furlongs, in lmin 15jsec, a performance that would give him a great chance with the best of sprinting company in this State. *"« ♦ Jf *

A writer in an exchange says he has heard that it has been finally decided by Captain Greer to retire Gallinule altogether from stud duties after next season. The great sire will be 22 years old in 1906. The writer adds that this will probably have the effect of sending the fee of Gallinule’s best son, Wildfowler, from 60 guineas up to 100 guineas, especially as the last-mentioned horse’s progeny are doing so well. Wildfowler is only nine years old, os that he has ample time in which to make a great name for himself at the stud.

A mammoth horse sale is to take place at Bourke, N.S.W., next month. Of it the “Mail” says:—Keen, careful, and good judges have been all through Queensland, as far as Richmond in the north, during the last nine months, picking and selecting only the very tops from the horses on the stations visited, and selecting the ages most suitable for the buyers, principally three to six years, in horses for the Indian trade, and two to seven years in draughts and other classes. Of the 2200 that will be offered, fully 1500 will be selected horses, good and thoroughly sound and the best lot for the number that have ever been put together in the States. They consist of 700 heavy draughts, 250 gunners, artillery and cavalry horses, the balance being farm, plough, lorry, carriage and buggv pairs (some very high class), and polo ponies, also a really splendid lot of hacks, remounts, and useful station working horses, coachers, etc. The great feature will be the magnificent lot of draughts, which includes 300 specially selected mares, a large number of which are stinted to imported New Zealand stallions. and with foals at foot. The balance are upstanding colts and fillies, two to seven years, broken and unbroken.

W. E. Elsey was doing the best of the English trainers when the last mail left England, having won 63 races up to June 13. Under the circumstances, it is not surprising that E. Wheatley, who does most of Elsey’s riding, is at the head of the winning jockeys’ list for this season. From March 27 to June 9, Wheatley had 185 mounts, with the following result: — 52 wins, 53 seconds, 21 thirds, and 79 times unplaced. However, a lad named T. Priestley had a slightly better average for the same period, 16 wins being the result of 56 mounts. Maher has had more mounts than any other rider, but his average suggests that he is either out of luck or out of form this season.

Canard, the winner of the French. Grand National Steeplechase, is a great grandson of Dollar, the sire of Rupee, who was imported to New Zealand in. 1871 by the Middle Park Stud Company. Rupee was the dam of those good performers Spane Guinea and Merrie England. Canard is by Little Duck—son of See Saw—from Cromatella, by Wellingtonia from Perla, by Dollar, and with 9st 121 b up he easily defeated a dozen others over the tiring distance of four and a-half miles, which he covered in. 7min 42sec.

When the last mail left England Cyllene headed the list of successful sires,, his representatives having won £11,119, of which the Derby winner, Cicero, was responsible for £BO5O. Cherry Lass, the winner of the Oaks, and won £B6OO out of the £9437 which had put Isinglass in second place; then in order came Florizel 11., £7669; Gallinule, £5754; Pride, £5754; Rightaway, £3238; Donovan, £3225; Ladas, £2998; St. Serf, £2064.

It is quite on the cards that the Flying Fox colt Jardy will never again be of much account as a racehorse. The cold that troubled him when he ran in the English Derby turned to inflammation of the lungs and pneumonia on his return to France, and at latest he was in a very bad way.

By the aid of the pari-mutual or totalisator, the Frenchmen are able to give good prize money, which is sure to grow, so that it will not be long before their prize money will exceed that of England. The added money to their last Grand National Steeplechase was 5000 sovs, in addition to which there was a trophy valued at 400sovs. The French G.N. Steeplechase is thus one of the most valuable prizes in the world. It is run for at weight-for-age, and was won by M. J. Stern’s four-year-old, Canard. He started at 4 to 1, and was ridden by the English jockey, Woodland. At the same meeting, the Grand Annual Hurdle Race, of 2000sovs, three miles one furlong, also at weight-for-age, was run, and won by the English horse Karakoul, by Wolf’s Crag,. who went out at 2 to 1.

The well-known English sporting writer “ Special Commissioner,” who contributes to the London “ Sportsman,” is very keen on the subject of Herod, blood. Writing in a recent number, he’ says: —“ It may seem tedious—indeed, it is so—to harp constantly on this subject, but experience has taught me that you can get nothing really fixed in the mind of the British public unless you hammer, hammer, hammer at it for at least three years. The French breeders are likely all the while to go on from strength to strength, for their Stud Book carries an abundance of Herod and Godolphin blood right on the surface, and thus it happens that stock imported from England produces splendid results when blended with this comparatively fresh blood. Some day French breeders may follow on our own foolish lines, and by constant inbreeding to Eclipse in the male line destroy the constitution and stamina of their own breed, but that will not be in our time, for the Herod and Godolphin blood in France in still abundant and flourishing.”

To the man who is unfamiliar with theways of the turf, there is something startling, a writer in the “ Grand Magazine” says, in the largeness of the sums staked on the speed of horses. Had Gaper won the Derby of 1843 Lord George Bentinck would have been £150,000 ths richer; but though Gaper was not even among the first three the race put £30,000 into Bentinck’s pocket. In a single 12 months, two years later, Lord George’s net winnings, by betting reached the enormous sum of £lOO,OOO. John Gully, in partnership with Robert brought off many big coups, including £60,000 on St. Giles for the Derby, and £45,000 won for them by Margrave in the St. Leger. Mr. Merry added £70,000 to his bank balance by Thormanby’s Derby win; Sir Joseph Hawley netted £BO,OOO on Beadsman; Mr. Chaplin, £lOO,OOO on Hermit; and Mr. Naylor an equal amount on Macaroni. Lord Glasgow had few, if any, rivals in his time as a sensational bettor. On one occasion, it is said, he even took Lord George Bentinck’s breath away by offering to lay him £90,000 to £30,000 against his horse Gaper; and Sir Joseph Hawley once took £40,000 to £6OO apiece about each of his five fillies in the Derby. Probably the heaviest betting Derby on record was that of 1851, when Teddington was the winner. Davis, the “ Leviathan” bookmaker, received a staggering blow; but he paid his losses of £lOO,OOO as indifferently as if they were represented by so many pence. That enormous sums, however, could be won on the turf without betting was proved in the case of Lord Glasgow, who during hiscareer as an owner actually received over £300.000 in stakes.

.Convoy has been thrown out of work and returned to his owner at Oamaru.

Acceptances for the C.J.C. Grand National events are due on Friday.

W. Lane, the Crack English jockey, is now in this colony in search of health.

The Gisborne horse Luck’s All arrived in Auckland by the Moana on Sunday.

The work of re-grading and re-turfing Ellerslie track is being pushed on with all speed.

F. Macipanemin has no less than thirteen youngsters at Ellerslie who will become two-year-olds next Tuesday.

. The old. fence round the Ellerslie racecourse is to be replaced with a new one. It certainly had fallen into the “sere and yellow leaf.”

The. next Avondale Meeting opens on the same day as the New South Wales v. Auckland football match. Hard luck for both.

Romeo is. to be shipped South at the end of the week,. at least so it is reported. New.to.wn and Inniskillen go South to-day, as also does Haydn.

S. Fergus will have the mount on Haydn at Riccarton. He goes South in charge of the horse to-day.

Dingo, who had a very bad passage across to Sydney, has thuiwn off the ill-effects of it and is striding eloag in his work all right.

Mr G. G. Stead once again has topped the list of winning the season just closing, the Yaidhurst horses having won the nice stun of £11,456 in stakes.

Stepniak heads the list of winning sires of the season with £8785 to the credit of the progeny of the son of Nordenfeldt and Steppe. This makes £42,556 won in stakes by the sons and daughters of the Elderslie stallion.

R. Mason leaves for Sydney to-morrow with Nightfall, Noctuiform, Sungod and Isolt, which quartette will carry Mr Stead’s yellow and black livery at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting. * *

The Northern Wairoa Racing Club has appointed Mr. F. W. Edwards to the position of handicapper.

The Avondale J.C. Spring Meeting will take place on September 16, 20, and 23..

Romeo has been backed for the C. J.C. Grand National Hurdles, foi' which event Im is favourite. His supporters _ have pluck if nothing else, for the horse is untried and has top weight against the pick of the colony.

Horses begin to drop -mt of the Grand National events and it begins to look as though the fields will be by no means so large as was originally expected. AVaitarere is the latest withdrawal.

Double betting on the Grand Nationals has been very brisk during the week, as a glance at some of the prominent mctallicians’ reports appearing in this issue will show.

The fourth test match as far as it has gone seems certain to result in another victory' for England without the Australians can make a draw of it, which hardly appears likely to be the case. Jackson’s luck with the toss is phenomenal.

I learn that Mahutonga will be shipped to Sydney from Wellington, going by the same steamer that takes Mr. Stead’s horses. Maher will go in charge of Mahutonga, and Buchanan will ride him in his engagements. *■*"*■■** *

The defeat of the Derby winner Cicero by the French horse Vai d’Or in the rich Eclipse Stakes must have given the spectators a bit of a shocks but no. dpjibt the Frenchman was receiving weight. A further trial of strength betwene the pairwill be witnessed iu_ihe St. Leger. Vai d’Or is by Flying Fox from Vandora, by Bruce from Windfall, by Favonius.

The Victoria Racing Club has decided to raise the fees of bookmakers attending race meetings at Flemington from £25 (inside enclosure) and £lO (outside enclosure) to £lOO and £3O respectively.

The Melbourne swimmer Miss Kellermann, recently swam from Dover to Ramsgate in four hours and twenty minuates—a record. If she should succeed in her attempt to cross the English Channll, there will be a great outburst of ju-bilation-in Australia. Everybody here would be pleased to hear of her success.

In. South Africa the bookmakers have received a nasty knock, the Turf Club of that country having decided to conduct racing without them. As bookmakers are also barred from all French racecourses from the beginning of next month, it would appear that they are not as indispensable as some members of the fraternity believe. One of the amusing items ip connection with the present trouble anent licensing fees in Sydney (says the “ Referee”) is that some of the odds layers have been querying, in all seriousness, “ Where will the clubs bookmakers if we refuse to bet?” Well, bookmaking may not be as profitable nor as easy as many think, but, all the same, ir the present lot of bookmakers remain firm in their attitude towards the proprietary clubs, they will discover that there is no particular difficulty about filling their places.

The death is reported from Australia ot the once well-known breeder, Mr. S. Gardiner. According to the “ Argus,” Mr. Gardiner died suddenly at his residence, Preston, on July 13. Mr. Gardiner, who was for many years a member of the V.R.C. committee, was the founder of the Bundoora Park Stud, where he bred many well-known racehorses, including Precious Stone, Darebin (the V.R.C. Derby winner of 1881), Motea, and Prometheus. Mr. Gardiner won the Australian Cup with Lurline, but he was not a lucky man on the turf. The last horses of note he raced were Loyal Stone (who ran second to Vengeance in the Caulfield Cup), Loyalist, and Submissi on.

At the request of the V.R.C. the Victorian Owners and Trainers’ Association has suggested a number of alterations in the rules of racing (says the “ Town and Country Journal”), now under consideration, and to be submitted at the next annual meeting of the V.R.C. members. It is suggested that persons should only be licensed or registered as trainers who are ratepavers, or who have fixed residences and stables attached, other persons who have charge of horses to be given a permit to train each particular animal. The association thinks that men of established reputation and position should be given more protection than they receive at present, and not placed on terms of equality with the casual stable lad, or amateur, who may possibly have a racehorse or a hunter under his charge for a few weeks, but who, under present conditions, must be licensed as a trainer. In the event of permits being granted, such permits would be of no use to the holders after the horse it referred to had passed out of their charge. Concerning jockeys’ fees, the associat on complains that the rules relating to them are abused. It is alleged that cheques which are of no value are frequently tendered for riding fees and handed back again, and a suggestion is made that all cheques should be passed through the bank by the racing clubs concerned, and that jockeys should not be paid their fees until, say, the Tuesday following each Saturday meeting. The association further alleges that the suggested alteration would be of the greatest benefit to the jockeys themselves, for, when paid at present, directly after a race, there can be no doubt a large proportion of the money goes in gambling, which it probably would not do if the jockey only collected his fees once in every wek. The association also tackles the law with regard to “special agreements,” and says: —“ Rule 88 is at present much abused, and that it gives certain owners a great advantage over* others, inasmuch as they can race horses much more cheaply than the man who pays his jockey according to scale. The laws of racing should put each and everyone on an equality, and the association thinks that the A.J.C. rule, which provides that the special agreement proviison shall only extend to apprentices, is preferable to the one in force in Melbourne. The Victorian rule is must unfair to the owner having a few horses, who races for sport, and tries to pay his way, while it provides opportunity for sweating in its very worst form. Jockeys, especially those who ride across country, take a big risk of life and limb, and it is the duty of racing law-makers to see that they are adequately remunerated for doing so.”

Fighting Furley, who accompanied Newhaven from Enfjjtaml* and is to share stud honours with him at Currandooley, was in training a few weeks before he entered upon the voyage, but, this notwithstanding, he landed in excellent buckle (writes “Milroy.”) Fighting Furley is a dark bay horse with black legs. The most noticeable point about him is extraordinary muscular development, and with such thighs and loins little wonder he made light of 13st 51b in the last race he won in England. Apparently he is about 15.3 high, but being on a short leg he looks lower than his real measurement. It is open to doubt if there is another

horse of his height in Australia that can tape from hip to hock this hardy, gamelooking son of Colorado. The head is long,, lean, varminty, and thoroughly game, and' the thickly-muscled shoulders remind one very much of the Muskets. He also gives qZe the impression that he would be a tough customer to shake off in a level contest, and that no day would be too long for him. Sir John* Thursby, who owned Fighting Furley, has a very high opinion of the horse, and would not have parted with him except on condition that he got a given number of thoroughbred mares, or, in other .words, that he was given a fair chance to distinguish himself at the stud. Sir John had Fighting Furley, Riding Master, and J3hn o' Gaunt at the same time. The latter is considered to be one of the finest looking stallions in the world, and it is duuoiful if money could buy him, for his owner is a very wealthy man, who holds the opinion that John o’ Gaunt is the most faultless horse in the world, and regards him as the most valuable. This being so, he allowed the other twe to go, out he does not intend to quite lose sight of Fighting Furley, for it is his present intention to visit Australia either during the coming or the following English win ter, and intends to either send or bring a few English mares with him to mate with his old favourite.

The Chantilly Derby, valued at 7555 sovs, and the Grand Prix, of 993450v5, have gone to M. Michel Ephrussi, and in lieu of the £17,489 which looked like being placed to the credit of M. Edmond Blanc he has had to be content with the “ small mercies” represented by the breeders’ premiums, amounting to £lOOO (says a writer in an English exchange). The owner of Flying Fox has been conservative, as far as French owners are concerned, with the services of Flying Fox, but he has sold Winkfield’s Pride, notwithstanding the fact that the son of Winkfield gave him Quo Vadis, who might in turn have won the double crown had he not been sacrificed to his stable companion. Vinicius, in the Chantilly Derby. Quo Vadis was followed by Profane. the winner of the Oaks. Looking at matters from all sides, Finasseur has been an exception, for it is the first time that the stable has had a precursor for a run of bad luck by weeding out the winner of the classic events "f t'e home turf. Flying Foxes are to be offered at the weeding-out sale of the youngsters from Jardy this year, and no doubt recent events will put a keen edge on the appetites of the .bidders, who will fancy that luck will enable them in turn to find a big winner among the well-bred yearlings adjudged not ■ class onmmh to carry the colours of M. Edmond Blanc.

To my thinking there will be a great contest for the English St. Leger. The colts will need to be at their very best to beat the Oaks winner, Cherry Lass, who appears to have won her race without being called upon for any great effort. “ Augur,” in the “ Sporting Life,” says: —“ She was the Queen of the Paddock—a real beauty to look at, with splendid quarters, in which there is enormous power lurking. She is a very excitable mare, and was more U'W jmee disposed to do damage with her heels. She ran in a hood, and when it was put on she was "decidedly restive for a while. After she had been saddled she was allowed to have a drink of water out of a pail—a proceeding sufficiently unusual to be worthy of note. I notice that Cherry Lass is engaged in the St. Leger, and it is to be hoped that nothing will happen to prevent her competing in the great Doncaster race, which promises to be quite a sensational affair. Among the prospective candidates are Cicero, Jardy, Vai d’Or, Llangibby, and, as I have said, Cherry Lass. If these alone were to go to the post the contest would be worth crossing a continent to witness.”

In discussing the advisableness of increasing the distance for. the Alexandra Plate from two and three-quarter miles to three miles, “ Vigilant,” in the London “ Sportsman,” urges that three miles is a distance “ which carries credit with it to the winner all the world over wherever the British thoroughbred is held in honour—and that, I think, is everywhere, except among the Hunters’ Improvement Society, for whose benefit let me reproduce a question asked the other day by one of the best known Yorkshire dealers. Someone broached the subject of using the Hunters’ Improvement Society’s halfbred sires, and without deigning to discuss that Mr. —, the dealer in ouestion, replied, ‘ Aye, but how are we to breed the “mugs” to buy the stock?’ How, indeed ?

STATE SUPERVISION OF HORSEBREEDING.

While Australians are merely theorising over the improvement of the horse, Americans are taking practical steps to attain that object. The American

breeders have long since recognised that the unrestricted use of unsound, weedy, an 1 worse than useless stallions was exercising a baneful influence on the horsebreeding industry of that country, and also being fully aware of the futility of trying to cope .with the evil otherwise than by legislation, have at length adopted that sensible course. According to the “Horseman” (Chicago and New York), a Bill recently passed by the. Legislature of Wisconsin, and ■which comes into force on the opening day of the coming year, provides that all stallions for public service in the State must be registered. This is the first piece of legislation of this nature passed by any State in the Union, although similar Bills have . been advocated by breeders in other sections. It is, however, a common practice in Europe, and the Wisconsin Bill is drafted on the lines of a measure in force in the North-west Territory of the Dominion of Canada. The Bill is liberal in its provisions, as certificates from the University of Wisconsin can be secured for crossbred and grade stallions, as well as, of course, pure-bred stallions that trace to the Stud Books recognised by the United States Government. This, does not debar any stallion because of its blood lines, but the owners of other than registered animals have to prove the the breeding of their horses, and which is. given in full in the certificate of registration. Under this law it will not be possible for owners to swindle the fanners with faked pedigrees. It will not be possible for a stallion to secure a certificate unless the horse is free from hereditary, contagious, or transmissible unsoundness. It is unfortunate that any: breeder should attempt to. foist an unsound stallion on the public, and it is ■ probable that there are feiv instances in which it is attempted; but for the protection of innocent parties, it is certainly a wise move on the part of the State. The importance of breeding from well-: bred and constitutionally sound stallions has long been recognised by Continental nations, with whom the horse is rightly . regarded as a leading factor in connection with th© national safety, and the authorities spend vast sums of money annually in securing the stoutest blood from which to breed sires suitable to the requirements of national defence. It must not be forgotten that Canadian and American horsebreeders are competitors in the world’s markets for the supply of . horses suitable for military requirements in India, South Africa, Japan and other countries in -which horse breeding cannot be carried on successfully, or on a scale sufficiently large for the local demand; hence it behoves those engaged in the horse-breeding industry of this continent to maintain, or if possible, improve upon, the standard of the “walei.” The legislation that has been found necessary to introduce in Canada and the States of the Union is equally needed in Australia. The weedy, worthless 'ype of stallion in this country is not wholly confined to the small breeder whose financial position compels him to take advantage of the cheapest material available, but there are numbers of wealthy institutions that make it a rule to purchase horses for breeding purposes at a price for which only the worst specimens of the thoroughbred can be got. The Japanese Government has. during- the last twelve months, drgji'ii largely on the horse stock of New South Wales and (Queensland for military purposes, but the Japanese authorities do not limit their transactions to immediate requirements. The far-seeing advisers of the Mikado have followed the example of- the Continental nations with regard to raising horses for military purposes within their own boundaries, and have purchased a number of stoutly-bred Australian blood horses, as well as large drafts of mares, evidently with the intention of forming State breeding establishments. The necessity for State supervision in connection with horse-breeding on this Continent, especially with regard to the suitability and soundness of stallions, calls for immediate action on the part of the Government. and should receive thorough attention in order to preserve a great national industry.—(“Sydney Mail.”')