THE POULTRY, PIGEON, AND CANARY SHOW.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 18, 21 July 1898, Page 6

THE POULTRY, PIGEON, AND CANARY SHOW.

$ The capacity of Hie Skaiinc,' Rink is to-day tested to the utmost by the number of poultry, pigeons, and canaries competing .it the lGlh annual show of the* Wellington Poultry, I'i^eon. and Canary Society. Tho voice of the chanticleer in his very best form rises high over the 1)99 chirrups, trills, duckings, and billings and cooiugs which iill the air. The Show is the strongest, all round that the Society has yet. had, and fanciers will find ample material for comparison in the different classes. The judges are— Poultry, Mr. Ambrose Johnson; Ducks, Gee^e, Turkeys, &c, Mr. E. J. Hill; Pigeons. Mr. Fred Dacre ; Canaries, Messrs. T. Sownian and W. O. 11. Tonking. They got thro ugh their work with creditable smartness, and when the exhibition was opened to the public this afternoon almost every class was ticketed. Birds have been sent from New Plymouth, Nelson, Christclmrch, Palmerston North, Blenheim, Sydenham, "Waipawa, Linwood, Napier, Levin, AYanganui, Auckland, Dunedin, and from Wellington city and suburbs. In the poultry classes Langshans are. as usual very strongly represented, as also are Minorcas, Leghorns, and Hamburg*, whilst Cochins and Dorkings are in fair number. The bantams make a fine show, ducks are well represented, but no turkeys or geese are shown. The entries of poultry total 5(33. Pigeon fanciers will find plenty to admire in the 293 entries in carriers, dragons, pouters, tumblers, barbs, owls, Antwerps, and the many other vtiriet ies. An interesting exhibit is that of the pigeons which won the places in Saturday's Jlying match from Wanganni to Wellington. The birds and their records in the match are : — Mr. J. O'Brien's Ked Jacket (with a velocity of 15GG yards per minute), 1; l'\ Chambers's Omar (1032 yards a minute), 2; Mr. J. llopwell's Gladstone (1031 yards a minute), 3. For a race that is to take place from Patealo Wellington on Saturday under the auspices of tho Society, which offers a gold medal to the winner, _M entries have been made, and the winners will bo exhibited on the evening of the race. In the canary and game bird division there are J'J.'J entries, including homo of the best birds in tho colony. Among the curiosities of bird life are a crested cardinal, a SI. Helena linch mule, two Queensland (inches, and our old friend the talking cockatoo. The Ballanco Memorial Trophy, value £30, allotted to the Langbhan elrii-H, vihiuh was won by Air. l'\ Itogon in tho 18% and 1S1;7 .shows, has been again secured by him. The present makes the sixth competition for tho memorial, tho previous winners being — 1893, Mr. J. T. Sinclair, Wanganui ; 1891. and ]Bi)s, Mr. J. J. Buckrell, Wanganui; 1890 and 1807, Mr. 11.I 1 . Jto-en, of Wellingtou, but now of JOvansdalo, Otago. It had to be won three times to become tho absolute property of any exhibitor, so that it now passes permanently into Mr. Jlogon's possession. The 10-gninoa trophies given by the Association (which must also bo taken three times— either in MieeesMon or at intervals — before being won outright) have been awarded as follows :— Classes ] to JM, Messrs. J'Wsyth and Fox (Chri.Mchuroh), pile game cock; classes iJ.*» 1o r>_, Messrs. C. C. and L. Banks (Christclmrch), cinnamon Cochin hen ; classes 53 to 97, Mr. F. Jtogen (Otago), black Langshan cockerel; Classes 98 to 115, Mr. il. 11 earfield (Chistchureh), white Leghorn cockerel ; Classes U(5 1o 119, Mr. (j. Jtoso (JDunfdin) black-rod game bantam. Best Rouen drake, Mr. 11. Tatteisall (Auckland). Best Pi-kin drake, Messrs. Menzies and Sinclair (Sydenhain). The exhibition v.an opened at L'.3O by His Excellency the Governor, who was received by Mr. A. do B. Brandon, Vice- President of the society, and welcomed to the show. Mr. Brandon referred to tho progress made by the society year by year, remarking that they had that day as a show as could be found in any part of tt c world. Lord lianfnrly said that, :i« there vrrc so many caged oralois already in possession of the iloor he would not compete- with them in furtner oratory, and lie had much pleasure in declaring tho exhibition open. His Excellency and parly then made an inspection of tho exhibits, myriad voices clamouring for their attention.