750 Journal of Agriculture. [9 Dec, 1907. 



societies, has been come to already by three societies in one prominent horse- 

 breeding district. They have agreed to hold the stallion parade in July at their 

 different centres in turn, so that each centre will have the parade triennially. 



Except to the extent of the announcement and advertisement, the .parade and 

 examination will be carried out without expense to your Society and no condition 

 other than those indicated above will be imposed. 



I am directed to ask that the matter be laid before your Committee at an early 

 date so that if the parade is decided on, it may be held before the commencement 

 of the stud season and that clashing of dates may be provided against. 

 I will be glad to receive your reply in due course. 



I have the honour to be, 



Yours obediently, 

 (Signed) E. G. DUFFUS, 



Secretary for Agriculture. 

 The Secretary, 



Agricultural Society. 



It was intended that this scheme if successful might take the place 

 of the various proposals that have at different times been made for the 

 taxation or licensing of stallions, for it was felt that a voluntary 

 system would be more likely to be acceptable to those engaged in the 

 industry than a method involving compulsion. The scheme required 

 for its successful initiation, firstly, the support of the stallion owners 

 to the end that a fair proportion of the stallions standing for (public 

 service should be submitted for examination and "hall-marked" so to 

 speak; and secondly, that breeders or owners of mares should accept the 

 guidance afforded by the certificate and loyally patronize the certificated 

 stallions. Although the past season campaign is not yet completed, 

 sufficient experience of the working of the system has been gained to show 

 that in respect of both these requirements success may be confidently 

 anticipated. 



Number of Parades and Examinations. 



Fifty-six societies in different parts of the State responded to the 

 invitation — many more than was anticipated — and up to the present 

 49 parades and 29 shows have been dealt with. At these parades and 

 shows a total of 889 stallions have been examined for the Government 

 certificate to date. It may be confidently anticipated that upwards 

 of 900 stallions will have been submitted for examination before the season 

 closes. 



This number represents as near as can be estimated between 70 and 80 

 per cent, of the stallions standing for public use in the State and it 

 is significant of the appreciation with which the scheme is regarded by 

 the horsebreeders of the State that so large a percentage of horses should 

 have been voluntarily submitted for examination during the first season. 

 In districts in which examinations have been made the certiftcated 

 stallions are dominant and in those of such districts through which I have 

 travelled since the parades, the owners of mares are loyally patronizing 

 the certificated stallions. 



Districts Supporting the Scheme. 



A return is attached showing {a) the centres at which parades have 

 been held, {b) the number of horses submitted — draughts, lights and 

 ponies at each centre, (c) the numbers in each breed and the total numbers 

 granted certificates and refused certificates and {d) the initials of the 

 examining officer. From this it will be seen that the scheme has been 

 strongly supported in the Wimmera, the North-Western, and North- 



