NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1169, 27 July 1894, Page 24

NOTES.

BY FANCIEE. A meeting of the committee of the Wellington Kennel Club was held last night week at the Central Hotel, Mr W. H. S. Moorhouse in the chair.. Correspondence was read from the New Zealand Kennel Club, Christchurch, in reference to the produce stakes for 1895, and dealing with the New Zealand Kennel Club numbers of exhibits at the show held in November last. It was decided to put in hand the preparation of the schedule for the show to be held in November next, a sub-commit-tee being appointed to deal with the matter. It was decided to hold the annual meeting of the Club on Thursday, 23rd prox. The committee have secured the services of Mr W. L. Eae, of Melbourne, to judge all classes at the show. It was decided to forward a representation to the New Zealand Kennel Club urging that the headquarters of the Club be transferred to Wellington forthwith, as the term had expired for which Christchurch was fixed as the headquarters. The prizemoney at the November show was fixed the same as last year. The secretary read a statement of the financial position of the Club, which was considered and adopted. The question of special prizes was brought up, promises of considerable support being reported. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.

The much-talked-of Stud Book numbers have at length arrived, and are published by me in another column.

Captain Kelly, of the ship Westland, has brought out with him, as a gift to a friend in the North Island, a magnificent collie dog of the purest strain. His grandsire was the celebrated dog Metchley Wonder, whose owner refused <£Boo for him. Metchley Wonder was a noted prize-taker. —Weekly Press.

A dog club for ladies has been successfully formed in England, and application is to be made to the Kennel Club to be registered and allowed to use the title “Ladies’ Kennel Club.” In addition to the usual objects of such an association, which include permanent premises in London, where business connected with canine matters can be transacted and light refreshments provided, a kennel library will be formed, and the leading newspapers, &c., obtained; special attendants will likewise be provided for members visiting the leading shows. The various objects of the society will, however, be fully set forth on the prospectus to be issued in due course.

I hear that a movement is on foot to try and induce some ladies to arrange to help the Wellington Kennel Club at the Dog Show next November by providing afternoon tea and other refreshments during

the Show. As there are many enthusiastic lady fanciers about, I have no doubt the movement will meet with success.

The flooring of dog kennels is a subject that has been causing a lot of attention in The Field. Amongst all the correspondence that has been published, the following seems to be the most interesting “ 1 have kept and bred dogs of various kinds from 1864 to the present date, both in the Old Country, New Zealand and Tasmania. I always allow my dogs as much liberty as possible, and in all my experience have only had distemper twice in my kennel. 1 have never tried a wooden floor; but it stands to reason such a floor, being more or less porous, according to the softness or hardness of the wood, would in time become saturated with urine, &c., and therefore be unhealthy. In New Zealand my kennel had brick -walls, cement floor (with a good fall to a drain), wooden benches with wooden backs, so that the dogs could not put their backs or sides against the brick -walls. I was there for ten years, and often brought the spaniels and setters in ‘ jist dronkin.’ I gave them lots of straw on the sleeping benches, and if they were wet put them into a loose-box knee-deep in straw for a couple of hours before I put them into the kennel. Rheumatism in dogs is generally caused by neglect or want of common sense. Never put a dog thoroughly wet ordinary kennel. Bring him into the kitchen and let him dry before the fire there, or, if you have a spare stall or loose-box, put him up to his chin in good clean straw. When the dog is dry and warm put him into the kennel, where there should, of course, always be a bed of good clean straw on the benches, but a dog should not be put into the kennel to dry himself on his bedding straw. How would it do for a man to take a wet bath towel to bed with him ? Rather conducive to rheumatism, I think. Do not make your dogs do what you would not do yourselves. — Diogenes."

It is rumoured that an attempt will be made to get two large prizes (a first and a second) to offer for a challenge class at the next Wellington Dog Show. The prizes, so it is said, will be offered “ for the best collie dog or bitch in the Show.”

The decisions of some of the judges in Australia do not seem to have given complete satisfaction, as a heated correspondence has been going on, and it is said legal proceedings have been taken in respect to one letter.

The rough-coated collie Newmarket Ruff will come out of quarantine next Monday week (August 6th), and will, I hear, be placed on stud at once. It is needless" for me to remind my readers that Newmarket Euff is a son of Great Gun, the best collie in England, and that Euff is said by competent judges to be by far the best collie in New Zealand. It will behove owners of good collies to apply at once to get their bitches served by Euff, for it is certain that the earliest of his progeny will sell very rapidly, his being the first strain of Great Gun blood brought to the Colony.