Kennel Notes.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5258, 14 May 1895, Page 1

Kennel Notes.

(Canterbury Times.)

An intercolonial conference of fanciers was- held at Sydney on Easter Monday, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland being represented. Amongst the matters dealt with were the conditions for the eligibility of dogs for competition in champion classes. The Victorian rule on this head was altered two yeara ago, and speaking on this subject Mr Beilby moved that Open Clmb winners only should be eligible to compete in the Champion Classes. This was agreed to after a considerable amount of discueßion.

The present system of points gained at different shows being counted towards eligibility for the champion clas3ea was discussed at very great length. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Beilby, by 10 votes to 4 (a substantial majority) that "English Championship Rules" should govern all the " big " shows to be held in future in the respective colonies, and that the best dog in the show (cf his breed) ii entitled to championship honours. The Westminster Kennel Club'a Show in New York was most succesaful. About 1400 doga were benched. This exhibition, aa a fashionable fad, ranks next to the New York Horse Show, and brings to its support the wealthiest and memt exclusive society. The exhibit of this year was uncommonly fine, and in the collection were to be found fir ot> class specimens of every canine known in any portion of the world. 16 will not be remembered, however, for this so much as for the perpetration of the moßt dastardly crime ever recorded in connection with doge. On the morning of the last day of the Bhow it was found that eight beautiful little Toy Spaniels of various breeds, of great value, the: property of a lady, Mrs Senns, had been poisoned, and that poieon—strychnine—had been placed on the benches of other dogs belonging to the same owner. The club at once offered JESO, afterwards increased to JB2OO, reward for the discovery of the miscreant, and a subscription was started to recoup the owner for the loss of her pet*.

_ JMo3s of .the principal wieners ..were either owned or bred in England. The famous Sb Bernard, Sir Bedevere, was victorious in his section. Collies formed a great show, and Seftcn Hero, Wellegbourna Charlie, Ckorlton Phyllis, the nineyear - old Christopher, Wood mans terne Trefoil, and Rufford Ormonde took the leading honours. The American' 1 bred Pointers and Gordon setters were better than the English; Irish setters and beagles about the,s»me, bnt most other claEses not nearly so good.

A peculiar case came before the English Kennel Club Committee oa Feb. 26. A lady charged a breeder with having withheld a bull-bitch from her after having agreed to sell it to her, thereby making a large profit from the litter of the bitch. The defence was that he did not send the bitch as she had turned savage, and afterwards he understood the lady did not then want her. Verdict— Not proven.

At the same meeting an exhibitor claimed prizes won by a dog that wus not registered at the time of entry at a show, the claimant's dog being second. It was found that the dog had been passed as registered by the mistake of a cleik, and this had not been discovered until past the time allowed for protests to be lodged. There was some discussion on the matter, during which it was pointed out that the committee of t be Kennel Cl ub make all these inquiiieß and lodge objections for the general convenience of tho public, but that they do not contract to lodge any objections. The decision was that no steps could be taken in the matter.

The secretary of the White English Terrier Club wrote withdrawing Mb club's petition against the proposed non-cropping rule, as more than half of the members were in favour of non-cropping. The Great Dane Club petitioned against the abolition of cropping aa far as their breed . was concerned. The Irish Kennel Association forwarded a resolution requesting the Kennel Club to take steps to prohibit chopping in all breeds. The Bull-terrier Club requested the insertion of a rue :— "No Ball-temer whelped after Dec. 31, 1394, «an, if cropped, win a prize at any show held under Eennel Club ru'ee."

At tbe club's general meeting on Feb. 27 Mr S. E. Shirley, tbe chairman, proposed, and Mr Edgar Farman seconded, tbe following resolution, wbieh was carried unanimously: " No dog born after Matcb, 1895, nor Irish terrier bora after Dec. 31, 1894, can, if cropped, win a prize at any show held under Kennel Club rules." Tnia resolution is inserted in the hws of the English Kennel Club as fiulo XX [f., and ia recognised throughout the kennel world.

Mr j. T. Hincks, of Leicester, moved an amendment to include docking and other mutilation in the original resolution. In advocating this, he stated that be had lott many dogi>, which had died through the operation of docking, that is, from Having their tails cut. He also drew attention to the cruel by j^of dock ng the Scbipperke, which has its tail taken off close ud to the ba-kbone to round off the animal for show parpofes. Mr Joachim said this was true, cbe tail of the Schipperke not being simply docked, but "carved out." It has to be done by a veterinary surgeon with such ninety that if he goes a little too far the spinal cord is touched, and the puppy dies in a moment. Later Mr Hincks stated that he had discontinued the practice of docking his spaniels. Colonel Platfc and Mr Hickman expressed their sympathy with Mr' Hincka'a motion, but at the request of the former it was withdrawn, with the underataniirg that Mr Hincks would bring it forward again at the next general meeting.