SOUTH ISLAND POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 36

SOUTH ISLAND POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

Dear Terror, —With your permission I respectfully lay before the readers of your widely-read paper the following correspondence, which calls for no further comment from myself than to say that the concluding portion of the secretary's letter, which states that the Tapanui Show Committee and the various clubs for which I have judged are to blame, "inasmuch as thoy never, nominated myself as judge," is entirely without foundation. The South Island Association approved of myself as an all-round judge of poultry. Naseby, Waimate, Oamaru, Tapanui, and Dunedin nominated and elected me at their last shows, and if your readers will read carer v fully the correspondence; between the association and Tapanui, they will see at a glance the association took no notice of Tapanui's request. The only thing I regret is the fact that exhibitors and the Tapanui Society are likely to suffer because they dared to elect myself as in face of the opposition from the South Island Association, and I trust fanciers will support the Tapanui Show Committee with entries for their coming show, thereby assuring the committee and myself that we have their esteemed confidence.—Yours, etc., E. Oswald Reilly. Tapanui Poultrv Association, April 19. 1911. Mr E. 0. Reilly. Dear Sir, —At a general meeting of our Poultry Club, held on Saturday last, it was proposed that you be asked to act again as our judge at the annual poultry show, to be held at Tapanui on July 1, 1911. An. early answer will oblige.— Yours, etc., A. Mtjnyard, Hon. Sec. To A. Munyard, Hon. Secretary Tapanui Poultry Association. Dear Sir,—l will be pleased to judge your show on the same terms as last year / wishing your show every success.—l' am', etc., E. Oswald Reilly. Tapanui Poultrv Association, April 21, 1911. Mr E. O. Reilly. Dear Sir,—Since writing you re judging at our show, I nave received a telegram from Mr Hardy, S.I.P. Association, offering our club the championships for Group 3 under an approved judge. By the Times report of the Dunedin Fanciers' Club your name was mentioned to bo forwarded for approval by the Executive Council. Would you kindly inform me whether you have selected any special classes or have taken all classes > poultry. On the list forwarded from Christchurch there are only three judges at present approved for all classes poultry, which makes it very awkward for country clubs. Ploaso send wire on Saturday (22) whether you can undertake the

judgeship, as wc nold a special meeting on Saturday evening to decide whether we take the championship or not. Have enclosed copy of Group 3 in case your circular is not handy.—l <<m, etc., A. MuKYAKD, Hon. bee. Copy telegram to Mr A. Munyard, Tapanui: — . '• Quite competent to take all classes poultry.—-Oswald Reilly." Tapanui District Poultry Association May 1, 1911.

Mr E: Oswald Reilly. . Dear Sir,—Received the following wire on Saturday, which speaks for itself : "Reilly approved Orpingtons, ducks. See r list. ' li arrange with him must give group Timaru." I have enclosed copy of letter forwarded to the secretary, Christchurch, and if the council will not alter their i decision, we will not take the championships, but hold our show without them, as the club have accepted you as judge and i intend to keep to the appointment. If you could assist us in any way through the Dunedin Fanciers' Club or otherwise we. should feel greatly obliged, as the time is very short now, and we are waiting to issue our prize schedule. —I am, etc., A. Munyard, Hon. Sec. Tapanui District Poultry Association, May 1, 1911. ' Mr Hardy, Secretary S.I. Poultry Association. Dear Sir, —Your wire to hand re judges for championship. Tapanui Was not allotted championship for two years notwithstanding the club continued to pay their fees, and hold their annual show. I The club arranged with Mr E. O. Reilly, Dunedin, to judge at the 1911 show. After he had accepted the appointment we were offered Group 3 championship, forfeited by Southland. This club nominated Mr E. 0. Reilly for judge for all classes of poultry, and consider that (he being a competent judge) in justice to him and this club he should be allowed to judge in all classes of poultry, including Group 3 championship, at the Tapanui show. x The approved judges' list (March the 7th the only one have received for poultry) provides only three men, two Christchurch and one Dunedin, for all classes of poultry; outside them no judges are provided for Langshans, Hamburgs, and Plymouth Rocks. The cost of bringing a judge from Christchurch would be considerable expense and probably difficult to arrange at such a short notice

Our club recognises that it would assist our show by holding the championships here this year, and in the face of the above circumstances we trust the council will-see their way to give us all the assistance they can in approving Mr Reilly as judge for all classes. An early reply will greatly oblige,—Yours, etc., A. Munyahd, Hon. Sec. Dunedin, May 3, 1911. Mr Hardy* Chmtchureh. Dear Sir,—-T beg to confirm my wire of even date, which reads as follows: Hardy, Secretary Poultry Association, Christchuroh. Who selects the judges for the championships and allots same to- the various societies ? —Reilly.

My object in telegraphing was to find out who was responsible for the present confusion which exists amongst the various small shows in the .country districts, andl •which I have agreed to judge, having judged them for years past. To my mind there is some influence at work which is going to wind up foT once and for all the South Island Poultry Association -unless the members of that association are careful. I am in receipt of various communications from different societies which I shall in due time lay before the various members of the South Island Association and the societies interested, and those who are responsible for the piesent position will find the task of explaining anything but in easy one.

Your, telegram to the secretary of the Tapanui Association I consider a grave reflection on my capabilities as a judge. Considering that for the past 20 years I have consistently bred and handled all classes of poultry, your telegram stating that if T judged the show the championships would be handed to the Tima.ru Society is intimidation, pure and simple, and a grave reflection on myself as a capable man. You mav be surprised to hear that I exhibited, and that successfully. Game, Langahans. and 'rocks constantly for 15 years, and have been judging all classes for some eight or nine years, and yet you as secretary instruct country clubs that if they engage me to judge they are lifble to lose their championship " classes. I have judged Game, Langsha.n and Plymouth Rocks at your Christchurch Society's show, and at the various shows throughout the Dominion, and it appears to me that those who are taking it upon themselves to dictate as to my capabilities are treading en dangerous ground. If I remevniber night, I, with one or two others, was supposed to be a Selection Committee, and I now await '-our information who is the responsible person or body of persons who is now instructing the small societies, and who it will be necessary for me to further address myself to, in any further action which I mav be called upon to take. —I am, yours faithfully, E. Oswald Reilly. Christchurch, May 2, 1911. Mr E. O. Reilly, Dimedin. Dear Sir. —Your telegram of inquiry as to who appoints judges for championships war. rend at a meeting of the association last night, and I am instructed to inform you in rcrdy that the association allots the ohanrnionships by ballot, and- the council appointed at the annual meeting for the purpose approves judges they consider would give the association the greatest satisfaction in the various breeds. —Yours, etc., A. Hardy, Secretary.

Dunedin, May 5. 1911 Mr A. Hardy, Secretary South Island Association, Christchurch.

Deal - Sir, —Thanks for yours of th© 2nd inst. I was well awaire of the fact that championships v/ero allotted by ballot, but I was not aware that your association could, without consulting the various societies interested, dangle before country societies tihe inducement that if they would appoint tihe judges that were fin-ding- favour with your association they would be granted certain championships. What I am particularly anxious to find out is what constitutes your Selection Committee, therefore- I would esteem it a

favour if you would give me the names of the committee appointed at the annual meeting, as it is more than likely that I shall have to address myself to each of the members —that is, if you are acting under their instructions. If, on the other hand, you. issued your telegram to the Tapanui Club without instructions from your council, you, as the association's servant, will be the person whom it will be necessary for me to lay my claim against. You can rest assured the matter is not. going to be left in its present state. I intend to take action in regard to the matter. —Yours, etc., E. Oswald Reilly. Box 64, Ohristchurch, May 20, 1911. Mr E. 0. Reilly, Dunedin. Sir,—Your letters of the 3rd and sth inst. conveying the desire to be informed of the personel of the council and your assumption that I acted without instructions from the council in r?gard to Tapanui was placed before the council on Thursday night, and I was instructed to notify you of the same. They are Messrs Arthur Smith, Geo. Jeffreys, and W. W. M'Kinney as councillors, A. h. Mvers (president), P. Cajolin and A. Walker (vice-presidents), and myself as secretary. Mr Carolin being so for away, however, cannot attend. The committee to which you were appointed in Dunedin was a Selection Committee to select the various breeds for the different groups of championsfiips. As to your assertion that the council dangles before the country clubs finding favour with the association certain champonshios, I may say that you are wrong. This group was allotted to Invercargill at the annual meeting. Late in the season they decided not to hold a show. The council then decided to ballot among those clubs who had not already had a group, with the result that Tapanui was first, Timaru second, Wyndham third, and they were to be notified of the conditions that had been in existence all through —viz., that t,hey had approved judges for the classes. Tapanui was thereupon offered the group, but replied accepting but stipulatiag their conditions. They were again telegraphed to the "effect that the judge they had appointed was approved for Orpington ducks, and' pointing out that if they could not arrange the offer would be made to Timaru. It was made and accepted. I might say that the clubs are much to blame, as I called for nominations for judges from them all, but no clubs in the south replied. Although you have • judged so often, yet not one club nominated vou as a competent judge of poultry. This you. cannot blame the council for surely. I should .°a_v the biame lies with, .those clubs for which you have judged for 20 years.—Yours,. etc., » A. Hahdy, Secretary. Dunedin, "May 24. Mr Hardv. Secretary Poultry Association, Ghrktchurch. Mr Hardy,—l have to thank you for your favour of the 20th inst. The information it contains is not news to me, but it has the virtue that it is official. I intend to publish all the correspondence between us on the subject, and' am prepared to leave my fellow-fanciers to judge ps to whether the present siate of affairs (iiTcsnective of the council's treatment of myself) is satisfactory and conducive to the best interests of the fancv. —Yours, etc., E. Oswald Reilly.