POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 24 September 1913, Page 6

POULTRY NOTES.

(By Utilitarian.) What surely nearly, if not quite, constit;, lte ;i record for one clutch <>i' 'chicks, may have been observed, find perhaps still may be seen by local residents. This remarkable family has its quarters m Dixon-street, and consists of a hen with thirty-seven clucks, all well covered. Her own incubation resulted in some seven chickens, and a week after the event another thirty, hatched in an incubator, were taken under her charge. The Homing Pigeon Club is to be heartily congratulated for its progressive work m inviting the poultry public to attend its meeting on Monday, the 15th mst. • A splendid attendance showed the feeling and recognition of the society's efforts. It was 1 not long before a resolution was unanimously earned that a poultry, pigeon, and canary society be formed, all present consenting to act as a provisional committee, with the ex--1 coption of one, but whose heart was I evidently in the right place, other duties preventing him officially acting. Several speakers stated - there \ was no doubt a show could be run again in Masterton in spite .of the fact that poultry shows are soinewiat on the decline in the Dominion. 1: was thought it would bo wise to extend tho utility classes very considv \ erably when drawing up the schedule, and that if this was ""done it would materially assist In popularising the show. A sub-committee of three, in conjunction with the acting secre* tary (Mr Bradbury), was appointed to undertake the task of collecting all the necessary information, and to before same before the next meeting f to be held on Monday, October 6th. These gentlemen will have their work cut out to be ready by the appointed 1 time and it would be only common courtesy to them for poultrykeepers to roll up in greater numbers still, next time.

The price of eggs ruling in Wellington this month should make poultrykeepers smile widely, though how long it will keep up is questionable. On the 17th of this month eggs were retailing in Wellington at Is 4d. The N.Z. Poultry Industries Company is now an accomplished fact. : For some months a few keen and i devoted men have been giving much i time and attention to hatching this | commercial chick. The shell has been very tough to break through, but it has been done without in any way crippling, the„ youngster.:. -This company is but the outcome, and a | very necessary' one to the egg circle movement. It will tend to coalesce J the various circles and others w:ho, though desiring"to see some form of co-pperation, are not altogether smitten with the circle fever. T commence operations the provisional directors have now obtained the requisite number of shares, and a general meeting of the shareholders will be shortly called in Wellington, when the directors will be constitutionally appointed. Shares, which are ten shillings each with 2s 6d on application and ditto on allotment, have been taken up as far north as Palmerston and south to .Nelson and Motueka r not excluding a considerable number in Masterton and Carterton. The company's secretary will probably be visiting Masterton soon, and this will give everyone so desiring an opportunity of hearing all the ins and outs. "Meanwhile, anyone wishing to attend the Wellington meeting is recommended to take up 'a few shares without delay. The minimum number allotted to any one individual is three, and the maximum 100, for the company is essentially co-operative, and has no time for monopolists to swamp affairs by swallowing np all I the shares. % & large number of share- | holders with a few shares each rather | than a few shareholders with a large quantity of shares between them. The company wants eggs—and loyalty. There are many co-operative concerns in tiie Dominion, but we fear, in name, only, or principally. The Poultry Industries Company will be more co-operative than many because its shareholders will be producers, vitally interested in it's, welfare. Provision will, it is hoped, be made for preserving eggs and also for exportnig more freely than lias hitherto been attempted. If the company can effect a. more uniform rate for'"the ' price of eggs that alone will compensate producers and also consumers. Everyone, whether buyer or seller, is heartily sick of this up-and-down, pack-in-the-box business with the prices, including the opportunities which are available for unscrupulous individuals to buy and hold eggs for indefinite periods, and foist them on to a now very suspicious public. One very great feature of the company's operations wi]l_ be to test every ep r sold to, the public, thus ensuring an absolutely reliable article, as well as a most wholesome one. \