THE KENNEL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9815, 26 August 1897, Page 2

THE KENNEL.

Under instructions from Mr Dacre, of New Zealand, Mr W. EL Smith, of this city, (says a Sydney exchange of August 7th), has purchased from Dr. P. Bennett the Pug T m PPy d°g Punch, by Warafcah Jack ex Ba-bara. This puppy is considered one of the best in the doctor's kennels, and should be heard of in the land of the Moa when the next show season comes round.

Mr Paul Hunter of Napier has purchased from Mr J. A. Martin of Cnmperdown, Victoria, an Airedale Terrier by champion Yeadon Ring—Qr.eensbury Lass. Mr C. Court-Rice, the English judge of MastifTs, who recently visited Australia, has contributed a letter to the Stockheeper in which ho refers fully to the different Mastiff* seen by him during his travels. Mr CourtRice bpeaks very highly indeed of the progeny of Mr Connell'a Jonathan. Referring to the same owner's Tirrita Niobe, he say 3 that " for body, legs and feet, boue, size, symmetry, and colour, it would be difficult indeed to beat her." Amongst the Sydriey dogs mentioned is Mr Connell's champion Socratee, which the writer states "is an excellent dog distinctly Beaufort in type, and considering his age, wonderfully fiesh, and well, and still lit for show." Mr Court-Rice concludes bj saying :—" So far as Mastiffs are concerned, I can but say, with mingled feelings of regret and pleasure, that they appear to mc in a far more flourishing condition in Australia than here in England, and that the dogs arc better in themselves." This is high praise indeed.

" Lady Betty " in the Stochkeeper relates a vei'y touching incident in the death of a Mrs Gage, who was killed on the London, Chatham, and Dover railway early in June last, as she tried to rescue her dog from the front of a train. Mrs Gage was killed, but she saved her dog's life at the cost of her own, and the faithful fellow sat and guarded the body of his mistress until help arrived.

A sensational Fox Terrier puppy in Honor Bright, by His Honour—Richmond Gloom, made its appearance at Chelmsford, Essex, last month. He placed to the credit of his owner, Mr G. Raper, six firsts and a number of specials. Honor Bright is nine months old, is described as having a grand head, good front and bone. It is said that his feet might be better than they are, but it is considered that exercise is all that is required to put them right. •' In quarantine " in Brisbane is evidently not the boat of places if we may judge from the following from the pen of " Cerberus," a Queensland writer :—The Collie Potentiila and her four puppies by the sensational orm3kirk Emerald, were released from quarantine on July 26th in the most abject condition. The puppies were nothing more nor less than a " bag of bones," covered with sores, filthy, dirty, with hair matted, their little legs and feet all bent at the joints, their hocks on the ground, giving the appearance of rickets, and they themselves hardly able to crawl about. Truly a heart-rending and disgraceful spectacle for a civilised country, and all this from " want of proper care, attention, and nourishment." There is a "society for the prevention of cruelty to auimals" in Brisbane. Can they not extend their operations to the quarantine kennels, where they will find dogs exposed to the heat of a tropical sun during the day; lying at night on cold concrete floors or boards, without bedding of any description ; no grass, no dust or clay to roll in ? Kennels which may be full of the germs of disease left by previous dogs, and in which the unfortunate creatui'es are doomed to live for six months. AH this charged for at about 3s per week, with a 10 to 1 chance that the dog will ever be fit for anything afterwards. It is very doubtful if Dr. Hill will be able to rear these Collie puppies after their imprisonment in such a den ef disease. l< rom the same source we hear of the death of Dr. Hill's last two importations in Fox Terriers—Willonghby and Wicket. Wicket died in quarantine on July 25th. She was by Barrowby Progress ex Barrowby Sunbeam, and her English wine included Ist Maiden Northampton, where she was described as being good in face, front and top. Willoughby was released from quarantine on July 28th in wretched condition and died on the 30th. He was by Esmond, brother to Brockenhurst Agnes, ex. Stardens Sunshine. His English wins include Ist Limit, Novice, and Puppy, Ottley, at which show he is described as " doing well, winning all he could, a good classed dog all over." He was considered good enough to be inclnded in the photo of the "All England Eleven," embracing the eleven crack Fox Terriers of England, such as Dame Fortune, Brockenhurst Agnes, Venis, Claude Duval, Willoughby, &c.