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NEWSPAPER PIGEON EXPRESS.

(From the Auckland Star, February 25.) For once we have been egregiously sold by our usually faithful servants, the carrier pigeons. We had four despatched to Kawau to carry back the important tidings thence expected. One of these was flung aloft at five o'clock on Tuesday evening, having attached to its leg ' the brief pigeongram which appeared in our yesterday's issue, giving in general terms the acceptance by Sir George Grey of the requisition of City West. This arrived on the following morning. The remaining three pigeons were given in charge at Kawau, with strict injunctions that they wore to be kept without food. We presume such an order must be a violation of the laws of the island, for on the following morning, horror ! the floor of the cage was covered with the finest wheat. The prospect of faithful work was rather a blue one. However, one of them was selected—one which had already flown from Wangarei to Auckland, and to his leg was attached a lengthy message which would have filled nearly a column of the Star, giving full details of proceedings, and of Sir George Grey's address in reply. The bird was sent aloft at a quarter to eleven yesterday forenoon, and after soaring around for half-a-dozen time 3 struck off in the direction of Auckland. Half-an-hour later the third bird was taken out, and to him was attached a synopsis of the previous message. After soaring around he settled for ten minutes on the top of the chimney of Sir George Grey's residence, making evident enquiries with his bill into the nature of his message. Thence dislodged, he struck a straight course for the Evening Star office. The fourth bird, in-order to make assurance trebly sure, was retained until the Lady Bowen was within a mile or two on the other side of Whangaproa Peninsula. Two messages, duplicates, being synopses of previous messages, were attached to his legs, and he was flung aloft. He soared round twice, and then darted off as if shot out of a gun, straight towards Auckland. He must have seen the city, perhaps even the cage on the top of our office. Alack-a-day ! Not one of the three turned up here till this morning. It was the hospitality of Kawau.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750309.2.19

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4358, 9 March 1875, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
382

NEWSPAPER PIGEON EXPRESS. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4358, 9 March 1875, Page 3

NEWSPAPER PIGEON EXPRESS. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4358, 9 March 1875, Page 3

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