198 



Bearing in mind that bone is essential and that horses deteriorate 

 rapidly in the tropics, sires of 15 '2 and 16 hands with bone, should be 

 resorted to, seeing that at present our mares are extremely small. The 

 Welsh pony, "Sir Gerald", is in my opinion a success, and that type 

 of horse is the best for the mountain districts. 



J.R.Williams, Esq.: In order to benefit the classes unable to 

 import or to purchase the better bred stock, stallions should I think be 

 imported. I do not think there can be any doubt about this : the 

 difficulty is, rather, how are such stallions to be kept so as to render 

 their services available to the largest number ? 



I think stallions of the Irish Hunter type would be not generally 

 useful. 



If there is a stock farm, the importation of a thoroughbred 

 occasionally, or now and then a AVelsh pony for less general require- 

 ments, would be u>eful, for with the fuller equipment of a stock farm, 

 all the interests of the island, and not merely, and not chiefly, the 

 saaaller and less independent interests should I think receive con- 

 sideration. 



K. L. Young, Esq. : Certainly stallions should be imported, but 

 not the cheap, third rate, broken down class, that have been imported 

 as a rule into this country, with n( thing to recommend them but an 

 immense pedigree and a lot of hereditary blemishes — which have done 

 very little, if anything to improv3 our present strain. 



We wanr a ccuple of new stallions ever}' alternate year, but they 

 should be of the very best strains, sound in wind and limb, and above 

 all something showy to catch the eye. Either thoroughbred or of the 

 hunter class and not under 16 hands in height. 



Summary by H. H. ^'ousins. 



There is a strong general opinion that stallions should be imported. 

 There is a great variation of opinion as to the type most desirable. 

 After careful consideration of all the data available and consultation 

 with breeders of long experience I recommend as follows : 



1. A stout up-standing thoroughbred of at least 16 hands of the 

 " Blue Rock" type for getting draft stock, remounts and increasing the 

 size of mares for mule-breeding. 



A hunter-breeding thoroughbrtd of the type of the King's Premier 

 sires in England if obtainable for a sum not exceeding £200 would do 

 as well. A f bred sire would not be satisfactory. I'ure blood is essen- 

 tial for prepotency. 



2. To satisfy the section of the public who desire Hackney or coarser 

 blood to increase bone and substance (although I do not consider it 

 likely to do what is expected) we should import a Clevfland Bay, 

 if obtainable for £120. These are clean-legged and the most likely 

 large breed to give us size without lack of quality. The progeny 

 would require feeding. 



2. Is it desit able to imj)ort 31 ares ? If so, uhat are your practical 

 recommendations ? 



Hon. J. V. C ALDER : I think it would be desirable to import mares 

 and I believe there would be plenty of army drafts to be got that 

 would be of great benefit. At present, however, I dont think it would 



