FANCIERS' COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2523, 23 July 1902, Page 58

FANCIERS ' COLUMN.

TbeOtaßo ■VTi'nu'i h>< Veen nppoin'pii ib* officUl nrgn fo lie imbllciuon of announcement* of the Duncdln Fancier Club

DATES OF SHOWS, 1902. South Island. Tuapeka— July 25, 26 Naseby— July 25, 26 Ashburton— July 26, 27 Invexcargill — August 1, 2, 3. Uiuce.— August 6. XoRTH ISLANIK "Masterton— Juiy 23, 21

— Owing to the very large amount of show matter appearing this week I cannot intrude upon tho Witness columns with my usual notes under the headings Kennel and Poultry-

— Just one phort paragraph to remark that the statement appearing in the daily papers to the effect that Mr Bennet's white Leghorn was wrongly classed was published in error. Next week I shall briefly report upon an interview with Mr Maude and upon the show generally.

— The Dunedin Fanciers' Club's seventeenth annual show was opened on Thursday Rfternoon by the Mayor (Mr J. A. Park). Good progress was made during the day with the judging. There was a slight falling off in the number of entries in pretty well all the sections of the show, which is accounted for by the fact that exhibits could not be brought to town by the express train iWhile the number of exhibits decreased slightly, it is gratifying to know that the quality of the birds shown was more than maintained, in some of the classes the exhibits being exceptionally good, and winning the highest opinions of the judges. The attendance in the afternoon was, naturally, not very large, but iv the even- > ing the show was well patronised, and a very large proportion of those present, after making a tour of the exhibits, attended the ■ddresa given by Jlr D. D. Hyde, the Government poulti"y expert, in the board room. Mr Hyde dealt with some of the mistakes made by keepers of poultry, and fchowed, by the use of figures, that *he industry could be made a profitable one by those carrying it one intelligently.

Tli- re was a very large attendance at the show on Saturday evening, ani great interest was manifested in the exhibits. For children's pets W. Morton was awarded first prize for a pair of doves, Miss M'Glone coming second, her exhibit being a fowl. These were the only two competitors. There was only one entry in the cat section, of ihe show, Mrs F. Smith being awarded the prize. The weight of the pair of fowls in the guessing competition proved to be 81b 7£oz. The art union was drawn during the evening, with the following result: — First prize, 2358 ; second, 1777; third, 3110; fourth, 326; fifth, 2413; sixth, 99; seventh, H3; eighth, 43*7 ; ninth, 2824; tenth, 1205; eleventh, 4158; twelfth, 2456; thirteenth, 1346; fourteenth, 3676; and fifteenth, 3111. Tho takiugs this year are somewhat in excess of those of last year. In 1901 they were £102 16s, and this year they are £126 9s— an increase of £23 13s. The show may therefore be regarded as a- financial success as well a 9 having been productive of an excellent display of poultry and dogs.

— The incubator contest at the Dunedin Fancier*' ,Club's show last week resulted in Mr R. Prebble, of Abbotsford, taking first prize, getting 32 chicks from 35 fertile eggs, nbout 92 per cent.; Mr E. Reilly scored second, with 19 chicks from 25 fertiles, equal to 76 per cent. Both the winning machines were of the " Simplex " make, and of New Zealand manufacture. The unsuccessful machines were all oi foreign construction. The

second prize machine travelled 127 mi'-es to the show, and two more chicks appeared after the time of decision.

— The guessing competition resulted in Miss O'Neill and Mr T. Thomson tiding for first prize, both guessing 81b Boz. The tecond prize goes to Mr T. Stoddart, of Mosgiel, who reckoned upon Bib 9oz as the correct figure. The actual weight of fhe bird was 31b 7|oz.

— A New Zealand Fox Terrier Club has just been formed, and has already about 30 members.

— Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co offered five Siberian dogs for sale by auction at their rooms on Monday, when there na' a large attendance. Foiir black and-wlut© dogs, six weeks eld, brought £3, £2 10s, £1 15s, and £1 5s respectively, and one br;own-and-white slut, sevon wiyks old. and ■which is a cross between the j3ibcrion breed and the Russian collie, brouglit ISs.

DOG AND POULTRY SHOW.

NAPIER, July 16.

The Eawke's Bay Konnel and Poultry Club's show waa opened to-day. The exhibits are more numerous than on auy previous occasion, aud the quality is we'll represented. In the dog section, the show of terriers is the largest and best e\er re-en in Napier. The champion prizes in dogs went to Messrs Paul, Hunter (2), JU. M'Donald, J. Horrex, P. J. O'Rourke. A. Harphasn, W. A. Smith, and C. H. St. Hill. The cup and trcphy winners in poultry were Messrs J. A. Stever^, E. S. Rickette, G. Leitch, T. H. Stewart, and J. Kearns.