HOMING PIGEONS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 491, 26 April 1909, Page 9

HOMING PIGEONS

AN EXHIBITION. . .. Homing pigeons, aro not as popular as racehorses, but to study and train tliem is a hobby , whiohVhas strong fascinations, and it is. not . inconceivable that the. fate of a ination ; nnght ■ at some :-crisis:.depond upon tho flight of a ' : pigeon. In this country "homers" are protected by Act of Parliament, 'eaoh one is officially registered under tlio same statute, and ] the Government has tho right to call them all put for .active service in time of war. They aro in daily use by-some of tho newspapers, wliilo the shipping companies have'shown an . appreciation of their ' possibilities: of useful- . neS9. . With - the object of further interesting the public in the "fancy," and the facts' con- - uected with it, the Wellington Homing rigeon Society held last Saturday afternoon an exhibition of birds owned by its members. The Victoria Hall, Newtown, which has 60 often resounded with the eloquence of would-be Mayors, M.P.'s, and eity councillors, was given ■ over to tho occupation of a" class of public servants, -whose. niotto might bo "Deeds, not ■ words." There wero 178 of tlip.m, from 17 lofts, and-most'of the cages ".wore ticketed'with the name and-exploits of the birds .within. All . the birds that have won places in this year's races promoted: by the society were shown. The'competitors in this year's. championship were grouped togethor, the winner being Mr. A. ; Croskerv's Twilight, .which covered the distance in the. Auckland to Wellington interval race (-iOS miles) at-an average velocity of. 913 • yards per minnte. Mr. J.. 11. .Clark's Elasb, .whioh. came second, was among the others shown. Tho race from New Plymouth for,the;trophy • presented by The had been arranged . to. synchronise with tho exhibition;; and the: four leading birds ; were on view in a prominent position in the-halL • Thirty-four pigeons ; had Ijeei) liberated at New Plymouth, 12 lofts ' being represented. The distanco is 160 miles, and the pigeons to contend against a head ; wind all the way. They were' tossed at 8 a.m., : and- the first arrival reached its homo at 12.59. '. Following are. biirticulars ' '.-Mr,:A.' W,. Oroskery's Mopnrakcr, 9-11 yards' .. per inif :te, 1. . .; Mr. J.; : H, ; Clark's Bombardier, 932 yards per minute, .2. . :: :"i '.■/ Mr.' 11. M'lntVreV,Pied,; 928 yards,' 3. a . , v Mr.'.R. Lewis s Heorthen, ,923 yards, 4. The "war birds" which; had turned out for .the.Easter'nianoeiivres.and:proved their.prowess, in .the. intelligence .branch; connected with, the Oringi camp, were; ronged down One-side •. of the'hall. There were CO of them, and they represented 1 the lofts of all the-members of the ■society. - ■ ■7 One .particularly accomplished' pigeon was Mr. J. H.. Glark s Sungod, whose record was .- displayed .- thus-,—1805,, -.from Parengarenga (North Auckland), 500 miles; 190S, from Mongo-- . nui, 4SO miles; .1907, from Parengarenga; 1908, from Half Moon Bay, Stewa.rt Island, 510ipiles. ■ j3ungod. is. believed to l;e ; tho only homing pigeon that has covered practically the w-hole length .of New Zealand, and his achievement is especially interesting in view 'of the fact that the "birds are usually trained to fly in one', di- . reotion only. Five other birds-which had done the .Stewart Island' trip iwere.shown."; Another : notable group comprised the, placed'birds in the. society's' interval race from Parengarenga. These were Mr. Bailoy's';Ocean Wave, .Mr..F.-Williams's' Enchantress, and 'Miss May. Clark's .D.aystar. ': It was satisfactorythat all. the birds entered: for this race homed suciJess-. fully.. v. / .Several members of the society have recently . imported valuable pigeons from • Home,; paying. ' •JBIO; to ■ each,' to, such well-known; fanciers as Mr, A. H. Osmond (editor of "The Racing Pigeon"),''- the;. Rev; 'Mackenzie,' and Mr.: W. Wright. vTen 'of shoyr'nil. . . .... ' ; The ' exhibition r was : purely non-competitive, arid the birds . were not judged, -ns it is the policy of the society.- to encourage - solely the racing and homing finalities of the birds.. :V '• It is satisfactory to learn that tho society ' (bfi .wliich Mr. A. H. Turnbull is' patron,- Captain 'Edwin - president, . and Mr. J. H. Clark secretary) is in a flourishing, condition. 'It has, .' ' with a fiiw recent accessions, 20 members, who own, altogether, at: least'-000. pigeons. •