24 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Juny, 1902. 
First of all, I would suggest a tax of £10 per head per annum on all stallions 
from two years old upwards, and give the various divisional boards power to collect, they 
receiving one-third of the collections for their trouble. I am sure they would very 
soon collect the tax, and to some boards it would mean a nice littleincome The 
remaining two-thirds to be handed over to the Governmentas the nucleus of a fund for 
the purchase and importation of sires—such as Suffolks, Percherons, Arabs, English 
hackneys, and good-boned, thick-set thoroughbreds. These sires could stand at the 
various experimental farms, or be leased to reliable breeders. 
Second: Pass an Act of Parliament prohibiting any race under 1 mile, with a 
minimum weight of 8 stone. This would in a very short time put an end to all the 
weedy sires one sees racing in 5 and 6 furlong races with a feather weight on them— 
a class of animal that is doing more to deteriorate our horses than anything T know 
of—mere gambling machines, and bad at that. : 
Third: The revenue derived from the totalisator tax might well be applied to 
the importation of stallions’ fund. This, added to the tax on stallions, would soon 
amount to a good sum, and give the Government ample funds for a legitimate 
purpose. 
Fourth: Careful inspection of all horses leaving the colony for export. Allow 
no rubbish or weedy sorts to leave our shores; owners would soon find out that it would 
pay them better to breed a few good ones instead of a lot of nondescripts. 
Mures.—After making careful inquiries, I am convinced that we have some 
hundreds of first-class mares in Queensland suitable for breeding good Indian and 
South African horses, although, by reports from Southern authorities, [ believe a great 
many of their best mares have been shipped away; if this is so, it is all the more 
reason that we should make a big bid for the industry. 
Under orders from the Government of India, a commission met at Caleutta the 
Australian shippers, and heard their views on the horse supply; subsequently, the 
following letter, signed by all the leading shippers, was received :— 
“We have the honour to place before you our views regarding the horse-breeding of 
Australia. In our opinion it is deteriorating, due to the cause of inferior stallions and 
exporting most of the best mares, breeders being tempted to sell on account of the high 
prices being given for Indian remounts. We think it would be beneficial to the 
industry if you were to advise the Australian Governments to put a heavy tax on 
stallions and limit the exportation of mares suitable for breeding. Also, the Govern- 
ment should supply a number of stallions for the use of breeders at a nominal fee for 
service. 
India is a certain market for a big number of good horses every year, and the 
above letter from the shippers should be taken as a word of warning to us here; but, 
if wee steps are not taken at once, the probabilities are that we may ge this important 
trade. : 
Artillery horses of an excellent stamp can be produced by using Suffolk or 
“Percheron sires over breedy light mares, and a class that is always in demand at good 
prices. Height, 15-2; weight, about 1,100 to 1,200 lb. 
Cavalry Horses.—Height, 15-1 or 15-2; must have quality, style, and action, short 
backs, good depth of back ribs, but not flat-sided; these can be produced by using 
good-boned, thick-set hackney or thoroughbred sires over our best-bodied mares. 
Mr. J. McPuerson (Rockhampton): I think Mr. Robinson deserves the 
thanks of Queensland horsebreeders for his valuable and interesting paper ; 
but, if some of his suggestions were carried out, I do not think they would 
have their desired objects. This matter of horsebreeding has been taken up 
by a number of societies, and I know the Stockowners’ Association at Rock- 
hampton once invited its members to attend a meeting for the purpose of 
discussing whether anything could be done to improve the condition of the 
horsebreeding industry. The consensus of opinion was that a stallion tax would 
not have the desired effect. NordoI think it would. Many people think if they 
buy a horse with a good pedigree and with a few performances, probably over 
short distances, that they have a yery desirable animal. They bring him up to 
their district and breed from him. ‘hose men look at that horse through their 
own. spectacles, are impressed with the idea that he is a very valuable beast, and 
they would willingly pay a £10 tax on him. The tax, of course, might be very 
useful from a revenue point of view, but it would not haye much effect on a man 
all of whose geese are swans. Owners of stallions have a tendency that way, and 
many of them would willingly pay £10 a year on the greatest rubbish 
