LAND AND WATER,

Otago Witness, Issue 2677, 5 July 1905, Page 53

LAND AND WATER,

As the outcome of a resolution passed by the Acclimatisation Society at its last meeting, angleTs and others .interested -are to be invited to meet the council of the sooiety iduring 'ihe present month to consider >what steps should Tje tdkeai 'to prevent the wholesab destruction of y-oung trout which is now going on owing to the depredations of eels.

A circular is being distributed ■amongst officers commanding Volunteer eor^s asking them to ascertain how many men would be likely to engage on tne following terms —Training to be for 12 days, for which officers would receive a personal payment of £10 ; ntMa-ccunmißsianed officers, £7 10s ; and rank and file, £5. In addition -each corps would receive an annual allowance of 30s per man ior olothing and contingencies, md an -allowance of Is per man per d«y spent in camp, >and Is 6d per horse for iratitms and f»r»-ge. With reference to this matter Lieutenant^colonel Chaytor, of the Commandant's staff, say that tlte circular ia merely issued as * feeler. At some Volunteer camps certain corps do good work -and beoome but at others very Jittte work was done, .and wome corps were Volunteers only in name. If the suggestion was carried into effect it would -make the New Zealand Volunteer Force >practioally a militia. Sinoe the -whaling season at Whangamumu .was opened en JJiane 1 eight W'hale3 have been captured, and the whaling season promises to be a very suoo&ssful one. Mr Kirk, -'Government biologisft, is making an afttempt to -collect information with regard rto the -effect of introduced birds on the native birds of the -colony, and the exaot causes that .have led to the .diminution in numbers of native birds. On the Ra'kaia Island, one day last week, a shooting party of 11 guns bagged 190 hares. PIGEON RACING-. "What is known as the ©unedin Homing Club's Show Race was flown Dn Saturday from Ashburton, an air-line to the Dunedin Post Oifioe of 151 miles. Eighty-nine pigeons competed. The weather was dull and misty, and therefore not too fav-ouiable. 'The 'bitcls were consigned in six hampers to Mr Shearman, secretary of the Ashburton Homing dub, and to that gentleman the Dunedin Club's thanks are -due for looking after the foirds and liberating them all together at 11 a.m. The race caiised more excitement than any preceding r&c*, and attracted th« largest number of entries which the club has yet received. All th« owners had their .birds well traiived, and each was confident of a win. Results — Plying Race, open to all flyens within ft radius of 12 miles tiom the Duiiedm Post Office. A sweepstake of 3s each bird, with 10s added by tlit? Panders' Club. Under the nianagement of the Flying Committee of the Dunedin Homing Society. Winners to be exhibited at Dunedin Fanciers' Club show. First prize 50 per cent., second 30 per cent., third 20 per cent. — Mr W. Esquilant's Petrel, 3hr 50imin, velocity 1161 yards per minute, 1; Messrs Finnegan and Torrie's Wintie, Bhr 49Jmin,

velocity 1159 yarcls per ruin, 2; Mr E,. Smith's S-ir Lancelot, 31ir 492 mm, velocity 1158 yards per imimite, 3; Mr 3?. D. 'Gibson's 'Silver Spari, 3hr 49min, velocity 1151 yards per minute, 4. Birds oyned by .the following gentlemen finished in the order given : — D. Paterson, A. W. Brown, H. Short, M. Holmes, M. Carauih-ers, Puller and -Crawford, W. Tattexsfieia, G. Dryden, C. S. Reeves, J. Johnstone, H. Mitchell, J. Butohar. Three others did not come in, -while Messrs Douglas and J. C. Short were .unfortunate with "their clocks — one would not .go and the other stopped. Mr Esquilant is justly termed " the hot novice*" He only started last year, "but wisely went in for the best Petrel. 'The -winner -was bred by the owner irom Finnigan :and TorrieVs Sir Modred and M. Holmes's Lady Bell. The pair were lent to Mr Esquilant to breed from, and they have produced a good one in Petrel. Win tie, the second bird, -was f bred by Mr *A. G-. Gerard, Chiistchnrch, from Jris Mealy (Daman .(imported) and a daughter of 114e and 171, both imported from Edmonson, Melbourne, and Fletcher, Liverpool, "England. 'Sir Lancelot was .'bred by Messrs -Finnegan and Toirie, hy Oime, dam -Gyniaca, 'both -winners. Silver -Spark was bred by Mr Gibson, .the owner,, from Son of "Young B6 and Tarts, hen bred by Mr A. W. Brown.