224 



In a o'reat many parts they are satisfied with the services of almost 

 any stallion that is cheap. 



(d) Perhaps something should be done to limit the h^rm done by 

 the worst of the many unsuitable stallions which ' ply for hire ' It 

 mio'ht be done by a fairly substantial tax on stallions, say 30/- or by 

 requiring any stallion serving for a fee to be licensed There might 

 be some difficulty about the 'Licensing Body,' for it should be readily 

 accessible. 



Justices of the Peace would do the work but would be objectionable 

 as likely to have stallions of their own competing in the neighbourhood. 

 This would put them out of the question. 



The Inspector of Police might be suggested ; but the suggestion 

 does not satisfy me. However, I am convinced something should be 

 done in this direction It interferes with the liberty of individuals 

 and may be misrepresented as oppressive to the poor ; but if we are 

 justified in spending public money for the improvement of horsekind 

 in the island for the common good, I think we are justified in restrain- 

 ing people from going beyond a certain limit in doing what they can 

 to neutralize the effect of such expenditure. 



(e) Something might be done to facilitate the sale of horsekind In 

 this neighbourhood, which is not by any means eminently favourable 

 to, or celebrated for horsekind, the sale of horses is most irregular and 

 the demand most uncertain. 



The uncertainty of sale is a great discouragement to the breeding 

 of horses. 



From £15 to £20 is readily got for a decent mule, unbroken, and 

 3 years old : a pony must be well above the average, must be about 4 

 years old and broken to saddle and draft, to be worth £15. Could not 

 something be done to officially recognise and regulate Horse Fairs at 

 certain centres ? At Newmarket, 14 miles from here, for several years 

 a kind of Horse Fair was held every Saturday. In Clarendon I am 

 told there is a similar institution. I don't know if the Newmarket 

 Horse Fair continues. But something of the kind, regulated by the 

 Society, held once in two months or so, at suitable centres, might do a 

 good deal to encourage horsebreeding by bringing buyers and settlers 

 together. Sir Henry Blake was, if I remember aright, much of this 

 opinion. 



(f) I may mention two experiences which illustrate my contention 

 that one of the difficulties in the way of improving the breed of horses 

 is the need for educating the people in many districts and raising their 

 standards 



At another property seven miles from here I have kept for two years 

 one of my Sir Gerald colts, a fine stout horse (as I think) and one well 

 calculated to improve the bone and body of the settlers' stock. I have 

 charged 12/- for his services (the ordinary fee of the local ' hamper 

 horse') but required the full amount to be paid on service — promising 

 to give service free if the horse is on the Penn next season and the 

 mare fails to breed. I haA^e had two settlers' mares sent to him in two 

 years. ! 



A friend of mine eight miles from here had a thorough -bred, the son 

 of a very good imported stallion, for whose services he charged 20/. 



