1 Jury, 1902. } QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 25. 
imaginable. So JI do not think the proposed tax would attain the object 
aimed at. If something is not done to improve the industry and the class of 
horses which we have, our horses will deteriorate to such a degree that they will 
not be worth exporting. I am afraid we have not got the mares in the first 
instance. The good mares that we had in the State have been sold to go to India 
or South Africa. Anything that is worth breeding from is exported. I have 
about 600 head of horses (I did not breed them myself), and I do not think there 
are half-a-dozen left that: are worth putting to a good horse to breed from. Some 
months ago a buyer was advertising in the Rockhampton district that he would 
be glad to meet breeders. About 600 horses were brought in, but only 140 
were selected, and those 140 were anything but a good lot. We want to induce 
eople to go down South and buy good stallions with these three essentials— 
one, substance, and conformation. Most of the horses that we now get are 
wanting in bone, and if your horse has not got good bone and good constitution 
you cannot expect to breed good stock. If you have not got good mares you 
are still further handicapped. 
Mr. J. Epminsrone (Rockhampton): Mr. Robinson speaks of the Govern- 
ment importing horses for the use of the settlers, but I think the settlers ought 
to introduce them themselves. I think it is a matter that could be done by the 
associations, and I think the members combined could afford to buy a good 
horse for their own use. I do not believe in a £10 tax, but, if one is imposed,. 
TI think entires of the value of £50 or more should be exempted. 
Messrs. Tarpent and Scuonz explained how the improvement of the 
breed of horses was managed in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. 
Mr. W. Deacon (Allora) : I do not altogether agree with Mr. Robinson, 
although he is an expert on the subject he has written about. Itis very strange 
now that, whenever a remedy is proposed for anything, it often as not 
takes the form of a tax. Taxes’ on trees and guns were both suggested this 
morning, and now we have here a tax on stallions. In the first instance, I do 
not agree with a stallion tax, because, if it had any effect, it would decrease the 
number of stallions and thereby lessen competition and the field of selection. 
In any event, I think plenty of people would keep inferior stallions, notwith- 
standing the tax. Breeders ought to be sufficiently acquainted with breeding 
matters to know that it is best to put their mares to good horses. In draught 
stock I think the great trouble has been the putting of too many mares to the 
one horse ; and I have known 200 mares to be put to a single stallion in one 
season. I think, after all, the real cause of the deterioration in our horse 
stock is the price. The prices have gone down, and people have grown care- 
less. I quite agree with what Mr. Robinson says about the horse of fifteen 
years ago—the low-set horse, generally bay in colour, with a little hair. about 
the legs. I agree with the writer of the paper in his remarks about the 
maturity of horses, as I believe that a good old horse will do more than 
a young one. It may be that the grasses were more valuable then than 
they are now. However, if you give us the price we will produce what you 
want; but, so far, we have not had the price. As for the price obtained in 
India, we know that it goes into the dealers’ pockets. One good suggestion 
has been made, and that is, with reference to the mule. The Agricultural 
Department has imported a good many things, and they might just as well 
import a donkey. Although the saddle horse in Queensland is probably not 
what it was, I think the draught horse of the present day is an infinite improve- 
ment on the draughts of twenty years ago, and particularly is this true of those 
that are seen on the Downs. : 
Mr. J. L. Bowman (Boonah): I would go furtherthan Mr. Robinson, and. 
not only tax stallions, but license them. A horse that was not fit to be taxed, I 
would not license. One gentleman suggested exempting from taxation any 
horse worth £50 or over, but in my opinion a horse that is not worth more than 
£50 should not be licensed. 
