THE FEATHER FANCY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 May 1908, Page 11

THE FEATHER FANCY.

■ . :■ —J —' ,• ■ • [Notes by "Doiiino."] POULTRY SHOWS. Juno 3. —Woodville. June 11, 12.—Ekctahuna. Juno 17, 18. —Hawera. June 18/ 10, 20.—Auckland. June-23, 24,'25, 26—Palincrston North. July 2, 3, 4.—'Wellington... July 3, 4. —Newton. July 7, 8. —Carterton. '. Julv 8, 9.—Wangauui. July 8, 0, 10, 11.—Waikato. July 10, 11. —Wairarapa. July 17, 18. —Hastings. J-dly 23,-24, 25.'—Taranaki. : July 28, -29.—Marton." August. 6, 7.—Taihapo. - , - Thefollowing circular,- has been sent out l to magpie fanciers throughout the Dominion by Air. A. H. Guthrio, of Welliugton:— ■ v..;.':;: ' Dear- Sir,— Considering .'the. popularity of thoimagpie pigeon,.and.the number of its.breeders, it has occurred'to. me that..; 1 tho.presont is a splendid time to establish a " Magpio Club " in the. interest of . the magpio pigeon*and magpio: breeders. ' In'.no ■ sphero in lifo is the old saying "Unity is strength" moro truthful, or : more applicable, than in the " Fancy," . ''and'l am appealing to every magpie en- . :: tlnftiast /to dohis utmost,towards _ tho : ..'.'furtherance of this object, for if attained . , .the'increased benefits: bound :to accrue. J l ..' ,V; i; will',i'directly'• or;indirectly; .benefit' every. .'magpio breeder.: , You must .be prepared . :';to■.admit' -there are many' things . con- • ■ . nected with our hobby' needed to be ac- ' . complished, many questions _ to bo settled; that cannot be, dealt : with satisfactorily.. under t-h& .present state of '. ' affairs, whereas with'a powerful repro- , . sentativo club'wo should be strong, havo a standing, in the '.Taney,'.' and bo in a "position, to •. give-forth .'what is needed. :. i The poultry, specialist clubs that have in ■recent l years been' established ■ in. New .-.Zealand have .'proved :i most successful, and I fail to seo why the same should . not/'result" with thb Magpie /Club. " I would ask you— ' ■■■•.-,.'■ '•'. V:' Are :you -lii sympathy, with' the - . • object? ■■ •' V . ') Would you support the club, if . .formed? 'Should your _answer 'be.in the afErma- . tive—and I, with : confidence/feel, sure it will—l would bo most .happy to'receive - your suggestions. If ,1; am promised sufficient support-, it is my intention to call '. a meeting of those interested' during the currency .of .Wellington Show. Trusting' ' ■' to: - be. accorded| the benefit of your esteemed suggestions. y :•'{ : '.;' The Wellington -sehedulo has ' been placed in'my'hand for tho annual show on July 2, .'3,; j and-4. 'The. classification is a good one, ■and; shoidd agood entry.; The,Noi-th , '.Isliind ,championships ..set. down for this fixt'u'ro are silver;wyandottes,.show.homers, and ... Yorkshire_,caaiaries; -. 'A total of over forty special .prizes has beea distributed.amongst various .classes t 'in addition-to the.ordi-: . nary prize money, .added to' which are.'tho .; valuable-magpie spoons, ..the Society's ton-' :: guinea\trbphios','andthe'^remongei'" 'Cup. . Another., departure is' tho special. prizes for ■; birds "exhibited by. school children. Intend-' , , irig'exhibitors'.who have notyet.'.received a ■ copy, of th,e sehedulo may obtain ono on application to tho secretary, Mr.:H. W. Littlo- .• john, Box 256.- i ; There passed through Wellington this week i ■a" pair of - golden wyandottes-—a cockerel and- .; .. pullet—consigned to : Mr. \T; Stewart, of .Hastings; l : These birds . are from -. an Australian yard. . • . .That; veteran poultry fancier,-, Mr. . Fred Ro'gen, :isdown.to judge tho-.poultry- at..tbe ■;.v "; Invercargill- show;'-. .-.He is ■ also. to-.adjudicate • Bpon new for "this-. ' gentleman.-" • ! . ;Mr. George ' R.' Hutchinson will:judge tho r : , poultry: "clSsses at.'the'Rangiora show, to bo held next month. - At the-annual meeting of tho Wairarapa Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Association, ... held -last '.week.' in -Mastertori j. tli'e following officers were dec ted Patron, Mr. W. G. •. : Beard;, president,' Mr. W. -H. Beetham; • V ; vicfrpresidents, Mr. J..' D. Cruick-shank, Dr. ' Hosking, Mrs.. W.. H''. Beetham, . Messrs. J. Dayton, and,A. C. Major; com- . mitte'e, Messrs. A; J: Parton, T. ll.'Rutherford; T. H. Barnes, A. Hendry, G. Hyde, R.. Spaclanau, G. C. Marshman, . T.' Moore, .; . AI-: Snodgrass, R.'B. Graham, H. Hanberg, ' H. ; :Aladeley, '-'H. - Pickett,-' .T. G; Hoar, .and T.-Jv'P. Cobb. A secretary .was not elected, 1 •'as; Mr. ;J. Cairns declined reflection. Tlio ; -oommittee was empowered to appoint one. ; ' July! 10 and 11 :wero-fixed ,2-s show dates.' ' The.'Nelson Poultry;; and .Pigeon' Society ; - presented to,the Wellington' Homing Pigeon - Society, gold-and silver, medals for' first and ! second birds iih : a race from. Nelson to ;.Wellington.'- ,;The -birds were liberated. by'-Mr. Thompson.''Tho race '"resulted as. follows:— . First,- .P. l W. -Lamb's li.c:lt.. Miss ' Jurion, I velocity 974 yards per minute, timo -2hr. 21miri. 55sec.; AV. Abler's r.c.h. Suxprice,,:velocity. 039 yds; :2ft. 3in., time '2hiv 44mi_n.. 40sec.; third, J. H. Clark's b.c.o. .. Magician,. velocity 839 yds. Ift., time ' 2hr. ; 44miri;,'45seo.j fourth; A.' Clark's b.c.h. :, Virtue, .velocity 452ydsi, time' shr. 3min. ■ 40sec.'; Tho air lino distance was 87J miles. _ Two valuable pens of silver wyandottes arrived in tho s.s Monowai this week; shipped by Mr. Georgo Howell; the well-known : Aus- . tralian:,Jjreeder.-, , I understand that, the birds aretsp'eqially, picked for laying purposes, and ■ are bred from his International Competition ■ winners of ;1904-5.: The consignees aro Dr. Mills, and Mr. C. O. Platts, Karori. .