POULTRY CLUB.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17741, 18 April 1923, Page 11

POULTRY CLUB.

SOCIAL AND DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. Hunt one hundred members of the N.Z. Utility Poultry Club assembled in the club' rooms last night, when a social was held for the purpose of presenting the trophies and prize-money won in the eighteenth egg-laying competitions and' the annual young bird show. Mr H. W. Beck, president- of the club, was in the chair. Apolot-ies for absence were received from Me==rs J. H. Snaw, A. Smith, J. i'. biwvitt. U. Duni, and F.. Orchard. "J his is the one evening of tne year when we come to enjoy ourselves and to do honour to thoso who have won prizes. !: -said the chairman. "Wonderful work has been done at Papanui tins vear, and we are proud as a cluu_to have had the distinction of creating

another world's record. !: Ho stated that Mr Drewitt. the owner of the black Orpington pen which had laid 340 (irrtrvi i n ?X)~> (lavs, was to ue eongr.itulVaed. Mr 1.1. W. Jiawkc was also To be congratulated on the consistency with which his ducks had laid for three years. The thanks of the club were due to the Government experts for the way thev had managed the tests, and to the caretaker. New world recorus were being established every year, and be had seen somewhere that a duck had laid ;)72 eggs in one year (laughter), .•lembers might laugh, but it showed what miL'la be done in the future. Years ago tho '-' CO-egg hen was looked upon as a marvel, but now there were 3()fl-egg hens every yew. Mr Beck extended a welcome to Mr f!. E. Jeffries, president of the Christelvureh Poultry, Pigeon, Canary, and Cat Club, and Mr O. Kinesford, president of tho Pigeon Fying Club. ill reply, Mr Jeffries complimented the club on the record it had established, and exwesed the best wishes of the Poultry Club. "I am sure," he said, "that the date is not far distant when your ideals and ours will come down to the same thing." The Utility members were starting to realise tho necessity of showing birds property, and he congratulated them on the pride they were beginning to take in benching a bird. Mr Kingston! said that there was no doubt that the utility bird was the ideal one. The homer was the most useful pigeon and the utility was the most important where poultry was concerned.

The Blue Ribbons won by members at the 1923 Young Bird Show were presented by Mr J. D. 'Gobbe, chairman of the Show Committee. The successful competitors were as follows:—Best cockerel, light bred, C. W. Black; best pullet, W. Dorn; best cockerel, heavv bred, \V. Aldous; best pullet, T. Bond; best Indian Runner drake, 11. W. Hawke; best Persian kitten, female, .Mrs A. L. Flockhart; male, Miss E. McCracken. Thirteenth egg-laving competition, duck laying 341 eggs, il. W. Hawke; best drake, R. "W. Hawke; best duck, F. Mendron. Mr it. W. Hawke, the winner of throe blue ribbons for ducks, was honoured with a toast and the singing of' "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Mr Hawke said that be had been showing birds for 20 years, and this was the first occasion on which he had gained the coveted blue ribbons, winch had been presented by the New Zealand, Duck Club. The Duck Club had for its object the building up of the duck to a. state of perfection which it had not obtained in the past. It was striving to' produce the ideal bird in which beauty and utility would be paramount. In the absence of Mr J. P. Drewitt, whose hen established a world's record, Mr J. B. Merrett received the certificate. "It seems that the black Orpington is coming to the front, 1 ' said Mr Merrett. "It has long been a power as a table bird, and its egg-producing capabilities are increasing." Mr Drewitt was to be congratulated for having bred the fowl and Mr Grimn for having fed it. Anybody could take round a bucket of feed, but it was necessary to use judgment. Mr Griffin seemed to possess the secret of making the fowls lay at their best. The egg-laying certificates won by members were presented by' the chairman, and the treasurer, Mr J. B. Merrett, paid out £lO5 9s 6d in prize money. The silver teapot, sugar bowl, ari(i cream jug for the three pullets iaying tho greatest number of eggs were presented to Mr J. Liggins. Other trophies presented were: McHarg gold medal for the hen laying greatest, number of standard weight eggs, Mr J. P. Drewitt; Beck gold medal for duck or fowl laying the greatest number of eggs in the eighteenth competition, It. W. Hawke; Studholme diploma and gold medal (single hen contests), H. E. Martin; gold medal for returned soldiers getting highest score in teams contest, E. Orchard; club challenge shield for team of_ six, "W. "Ward; duck challenge shield for egg-laying" and show birds, R. A. Hollis. Mr H. Williams, on behalf of the iMilucation Committee, said that all members ought to attend the socials and educational meetings in order that the club might advance in tho way it should.