Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard Thursday, August 24, 1905. IAUSTRALIA'S HORSE -BREEDING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 807, 24 August 1905, Page 6

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard Thursday, August 24, 1905. IAUSTRALIA'S HORSE -BREEDING INDUSTRY.

A conference inaugurated by the Government has been holding sittings in Sydney, the business of which was ths making of inquiries into the allegations by Colonel H. Goad, head of the Indian Remount Department, as to deterioration of Australian horse stock. The question was fully considered with a view of introducing remedial legislation should that course have been deemed necessary. Colonel G'oad based his assertions with regard to the deterioration of Australian horse stock on the difficulties experienced by the department over which he presides in' procuring a sufficiency of horses of the stamp required for army purposes, and, while paying a well-deserved compliment to the admirable manner in which the Indian army had hitherto been mounted with horses from this continent, intimated that he had found it necessary to seek other sources of supply. The deterioration of the horse stock Colonel Goad attributed to the use of inferior stallions and the exportation of the best mares.

In dealing with the question the “ Sydney Mail” says that since the receipt of Colonel Goad’s circular the Chief Inspector of Stock in this State has been called upon for a report, the gist of which was submitted to the conference, and, taken by and large, the official document did not show great cause for alarm. Of the 66 districts in the State from which the information had been collated, 38 showed that horse-breeding was on improving lines, in 23 districts matters were stationary, but in five deterioration was evident. In his report Mr. R. D. Jones pointed out that for years past there has been a steady importation of high-class

horse stock, no fewer than 74 stallions,, and 50 mares .having been brought into this State during the past four years. A. large percentage of these imported stallions are advertised for public service in the current issue of the “ Mail,” and a glance at the list reveals the fact that all the best families in the English Stud Book are represented, while the conformation of the importations is up to the best standard of the English thoroughbred. An opinion was expressed in the report of the Chief Inspector of Stock to the effect that the prevalent fashion of racing under light weights and over short distances did not tend to the improvement of the thoroughbred, and that the numerous prizes for sprint handicap races were responsible foi’ a large percentage of the inferior stock placed upon the market, because breeders, he said, bred to sell, and to suit the class of purchasers. On the difficulty of procuring a suffi ciency of the class of horses required for remounts in India, Mr. Jones’ report throws some light. The late disastrous drought—the effect of which extended right over the continent—as well as the demand for army horses in South Africa and Japan, has materially reduced the numbers of horse stock in this State during the last four years. In 1901 there were 455,134 horses in New South Wales, but the figures for 1904 show a decrease of 115,174 on that number; the horses exported during that period totalled 55,524, while the losses by drought amounted to 74,962. The greatest loss, owing to drought causes, was in 1902, when the total reached 33,160, while the greatest number of exportations were re gistered in 1901, when 19,760 horses left the State. It must also be born© : n mind that during the drought period, and for a year or two after, owing to ths lack of pioper nutriment, there was of necessity, a falling-off in the number and quality of horses that would come up to the high standard imposed by the Indian Remount Department. In that connection, however, if the Indian authorities are desirous of preserving the trade with Australia, it will be needful for them to alter theii* system of purchase, so that the breeder will not suffer as he does at present by the bulk of the profits going into the pockets of the middleman. However, the fact remains that the unrestricted use of weedy, worthless, and unsound stallions is the largest blot in connection with horse-breeding in this country, and it is to that phase of the question most attention will have to be directed at the coming conference. Whatever deterioration may be apparent in Australian utility horses is, in the first place, due to that cause, and it is for the conference—which, according to the list of persons invited to take part therein, promises to be thoroughly representative of those interested in the horse industry—to devise a scheme whereby r,he small breeder will be provided with the services of thoroughly sound horses, of good conformation, and at a reasonable price. The Premier has given the fullest scope and opportunity for the elucidation of this question, which not only involves the maintenance and betterment of a great primary industry, but also an important factor in national defence, and ic is to be hoped that the results will be worthy of the occasion.