NOTES BY TERROR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 37

NOTES BY TERROR.

• . ' Naturally enough there is lit'lo ia the fancy way to report: in the oaidsfc cf the festive season, so, lacking malfcera of detail, I must onca more devote my Bole attention to a matter of general interest, the "Imported Judge and Intercolonial Show " question.

* . • In reply to objections raised by my several Australian contemporaries — quoted last week — I am pleased to find, as I distinctly favour '• Dunedin's" proposals, that they can all be easily and satisfactorily ac-STvered.

• . * The Australasian's admission that the money required could certainly bo raised as sugges'ed by " Dunedin " is, I thiak, sufficient answer to the Sydney Mail's doubts on that score

'.* The same paper's objection "that as there were 12 judging rings at the last Crystal Palace show, the samn number would be required ab an intercolonial show haviog a bimilar number of entries," ia also easily an»wered by those inclined to favour the proposal, for if two good judges cannot get; through the work in one day, why not let them take two or even three days?

• . * With regard to fcbe objection that men- of the stamp required would not come hero for the money suggested, I would call attention to the remaik made by "Nota Bsne" that the leading judges at Home are men of independent means. Now if this is ttie case, and I have reason to believe it is, it should be clear to all that man of independent means do not require payment ia th© ordinary sense of the term. Men of the stamp required don't ask payment for their work, they work with the true fancier instinct — viz., for love of their hobby. I consider that ib would be reckoued an honour by such men to be invited to help their fellow fanciers 14,000 miles away. All that we Australasian fanciers have to look to is that we preserve our own dignity, and this we do by refusing to allow our friends to pay their own expenses, and if £1 a day and first-class travelling expenses both ways will not suffice to do this, then the terms ' ' independent judge " or " judge of independent; means are ruisnoiners.

• . • As to who should be the man, I find on going through the Home papers and securing particular* concerning tho leading shows there tbafc no judge gets so many class « as Mr Fred Green vn. I cot : ca too that ha does not neceEsarilj judge the same classes at every show, and it is evident from the variety oE work he gets that he is considered an all-round competent judge. That he is also regarded as a man deserving eve;y confidence is shown by the fact that in addition to acting as judge in certain classes he is often appointed referee of the whole show. I have no doubb that if Mr Gresham were communicated with he would bi able to suggest another judge or two with whom he would be willirg to co operate, and that a time could bg fixed upon when they could slip away from Home without missing the leading fixtures there.

' . * Some correspondents to the Australian papers quoted write as though ifc were aa insult to the intelligence of the colonial fancy to insinuate that we -have not men of sufficient ability and integrity in our midst to judge for us ; but such is not the case, for ib is nob insinuated that our judges ltck either qualification mentioned. What they lack is a knowledge of the up-to-date Home requirements. If from England, they have in their mind's eye the type they last saw iv favour there ; bufc thip, of course, does not satisfy the importer who has a dog of present-day type to exhibit.

'. ' The argument that many show committees are now languishing for want of funds, and consequently it is inopportune to talk of au " intercolonial,'' i 3 most illogical, for one of the fundamental ideas ia the minds of those Bup-

porting Dunedin'a scheme is that it would tenS to enliven the fancy generally. •.' "Nota Beae" says aa inaportad judge couldn't please everyone. Certainly not ; no one could. But he could satisfy a gceat many who are not satisfied at present — i.e., those right-minded ones who are prepared to bow to authority and recognised ability. • . " " Fancier," in the Southland News, thus reviews the local dog operations for the year :— The past year, to our fanciers in Southland, has been one of success not only at home bub abroad. Representatives from onr local kennels and poultry yardß have succeeded in winning fame at all the important shows held during the year. Southland has, during the year, begun to make quite a reputation in the dog fancy. In collies we poesess the- best yotmg-ter that was 'benched anywhere ia New Zealand during the year. I refer to Mr Moffett's Helvellyn. This dog has put up a record for a puppy that will ba very hard to beat, being er tered in eight classes and winning eight first prizes. Our greyhounds continue to hold their own quite as well as they have id i the pa^t. Cocker spaniels have steadily gone j ahead during the year, sll the principal winners being either Southland owned or bred. In retrievers, although we have some good material in the diitrict, we do not seem to have made headway. Fvx terriers are steadily improving, the arrival of Mr Macara's dog Dusky Boy being a great gain to the district. Daring the past few weeks tbe fox terrier fancy hr.s been greatly strengthened by fche advent of MrWhartou with his team to Gore. The Southland Society's show brought down some very good dogs from the north, which greatly aided in making ib what it tf as — the most successful show since the inception of fchg society.