The Return of the Horse.

It was bound to come. New Zealand cannot do without horses, however great the craze for motor vehicles. The Waikato especially has been the home of good horses, and the old-time horse markets were a profitable institution. Now the horse fair has come back, and seemingly greater than ever. At Cambridge recently nearly a thousand horses from all parts of the North Island were offered, and very good prices were paid, ranging up to and over £40 for draught animals.

Farmers are discovering that after all the horse cannot be replaced for all purposes by the tractor, and the country-bred man generally, though appreciating the speed and convenience of the motor car, likes to be able to mount a good horse.

Apart from utility considerations, there is the companionship of a horse which can never be replaced by a machine. And much of the back country of New Zealand is of such a character that horse travel will always be necessary.

The horse-breeding industry many years ago was encouraged considerably by the demand from India for cavalry horses and polo ponies. This demand may not be what it was, but Australia has lately been sending cavalry remounts to India, and there is no reason why our New Zealand horse-breeders should not make an effort to secure some of the oldtime business again.