138 Journal of Agricultitre. [8 March, 1907^ 



IMPROVEMENT IX HORSE-BREEDING. 



ACTIOX BY VICTORIAX GOVERNMENT. 



Report by Mr. S. O. Wood, V.S., on his Mission to Europe. 



With a desire to furnish some practical means of arresting the generally 

 recognised deterioration in the horse-breeding industry, the Honorable the- 

 Treasurer, towards the end of 1905, allotted the sum of £3,000 as ?. 

 grant to be devoted to the improvement of horse-breeding. Subsequent 

 to a conference between the JNIinister of Agriculture (Honorable Geo. Swin- 

 burne) and rei)resentative horse-breeders, a committee was appo nted, con- 

 sisting of Mr. Robert Clark, Mr. W. J. H. Campbell, the Director of 

 Agriculture (Dr. CherrN), the Chief Veterinarv Officer ''Mr. S. S. Cameron. 

 M.R.C.V.S.), and the Chief Inspector of Stock (Mr. ]• R- Weir), to 

 advise the Government as to the best means of applyino- the grant. 



As a basis of discussion for the Committee, the following outline of 

 three schemes was prepared bv the departmental officers: — 



1. Free Government Certification of Stallions standing for 

 Public Use — 



T. The Government to undertake to have all stallions .standing for the 

 use of public examined for soundness, free of cost, by qualified 

 \eterinarv surgeons selected for the purpose. 



2. The examinations to be conducted at certain ad\-ertised centres in 

 each district throughout the State during the months of June, July, August, 

 and September in each year. 



3. The examining veterinary surgeons to .re|X)rt_ tO' the Department, 

 and, in the case of staliicjns to be certified, the official Department of 

 Agriculture certificate of .soundness to be issued within fourteen days of 

 the examination. 



4. Certificates of .soundness to Lh? issued in the case of all stallion.s 

 not found to be affected with hereditary unsoundness. Unsoundness the 

 result of work or accident, and blemishes not liable to l)e transmitted, are 

 not to disqualifv. 



5. A condition of the Government grant to Agricultural Societies in 

 the future to* be that none but certified stallions shall be awarded prizes in 

 breeding classes. 



II. Institution of District Premiums for Stallions — 

 A. I. For stallion premium purposes the State to be divided into (say) 

 fifteen districts. 



2. In each of these districts a parade of stallions to be held on a date- 

 to be fixed during the month of July or August, at which all stallions 

 f-ntered for competition will be judged by a committee of three expert 

 judges appointed by the Government. 



3. The first prize-winner in each district (or po^ssibly, in the case of 

 large districts, the two^ first) to be awarded a premium of £200 on the 

 following conditions: — 



a. That the premium stallion be travelled through the district according 

 to an agreed route and fixed daily time-table. 



h. That the services of the premium stallion be made avadable for 

 the service of at least 60 mares (the bona fide property of farmers whose 



