BULLDOG FANCIERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15540, 23 August 1912, Page 6

BULLDOG FANCIERS.

MR WILKINS KXTIiUTAINKI).

The South Isliuul British Bulldog Club entertained Mr Wilkina, u prominent member of thi? -Now South Walt's liulldog Club, lit u smoke concert in the Masonic Hall, Moray place, last night. There was a good number of fanciers present, and Mr Webster presided in llio atweneo of Mr Meiizies (president of the elub). After the loyal toast hail been Honoured Mr Mutton proposed the toast " The lluildog," coupled wiln the inline of Mr Wilkins, lie Mid ho folt highly honoure.l at being entrusted with thih toast. With respect to competitions, ho .'aid that sometimes novice exhibitors were a little disappointed when they did not secure a prize, but his adviee to them was to do their best to improve their dogs, and in this way cjideavour to secure the honours they coveted.

Mr Wilkins, in ret>|xmding to tho toast, said that ho could hardly express tho pleasure it afforded hiiu to be present, imperially when he looked round and saw the number of fanci>rs present. Such a gathering was the result of their lovo for their most faithful friend, the dog. They would, he ho|>ed, excuse him if ho mentioned the bulldog more than tho other breeds. Referring to tho dogs ho had seen during his vjsit !o Dunedin, ho said the local owners could more than hold their own against exhibitors in Australia, lie had socn clogs in Dunedin the mujority of which ho would beat an equal number of dogti in New South Wale.s—in fact, he thought they would beat those on the other side. This, he considered, wju, brought alwut mainly through tho importing Unit was gone in for here. Importing liiid only been gone in for recently in New rxHith Wales, and they had learned the value of imiiorlation from what tlicy know of the success which attended veiltuny, in this direction by New Zoalanders, who had iiuportoil some very good dogs in the jmst. They had, however, recently gone one hotter, and i/i Christchureh thoy had Ainbhurst llaron. This dog, together with a bitch the name of which he had forgotten, would, if sent across to Australia, t-weep the " p;*il" in Sydney, even if they did not sweep il at the other places in Australia. lie hoped that they would he nblo to attain the standard of [icrfi'ction which they had reached at Home, lie mentioned Silent Knight of Holybrcok, Oakley, and Centaur, dugs he had seen in Liverpool lust veai'. and particularly referred to iteywood Duchess, a bitch 14 years old, which ho dcfcribcd as tho niost marvellous animal ho had ever seen. With regard to the imperialist clubs, Mr Wilkins wild that they did more to improve the breed of dogs than did tho mixed clubs, where there were so tniHty breeds to attend to. lie siid tiiftt since the specialist clubs iiad been introduced in Australia the number of bulldogs had increased from 50 to *100 and the owners to 200. llu touched upon the question of qitarantuio, ami said that he had alwavs held that the present quarantine limit of fix months from the lime tho dog left luigland should be continued, because, although it was not generally known, dogs were quarantined as a safeguard against livdrophobia. which was the most terrible disease on the face of tho earth. It was contended by some people tlwu this disease did not exist' in Kngiaml. and it was a goo<l thing that this was so. Too much caution n ,uhi not be exercised, however, because il existed in India, and they were not to know that a dog might not at some time be smuggled into England from there, and one dog with this trouble would upset the whole breed. It w:l- known that is many Hp 100 deaths had oeeurrcdin India through this disoai-o alone, lie advocated the holdin- of grades, awl statr<l that these had Wen ftieecssful in New South Wales. In conclusion, be thanked the member* of the South Island British linlldoß Club for the way in which they hod entertained hint. (Applause.) The o.ther toast honoured was that of '• Kindred Kanoiors."

An excellent musical programme w.-us supplied duriiii: tiio eveninc.