MAILBAG
Tribute to a real W’ville maplotter
S
ir ~ It was with interest
and no little sadness that
my sons and I read your
Back Page article in the July
edition.
Rowan Roberts was a friend
and neighbour (two kilometres away from our plot
but a neighbour in maplotter
terms) and learning of his
death a few weeks ago was
an unhappy experience for
On pigeons, doves and Christian rites
S
ir ~ Congratulations on
a very informative and
exciting magazine.
Please permit me to answer
one of your correspondents,
Margaret D from Muldersdrift,
on her letter (Smallholder,
July) headed Pigeons for
weddings, funerals.
The Christian world sees a
white dove/pigeon as a sign of
peace. Secondly, kindly
consult the Oxford Dictionary
or Kritzinger's Woordeboek as
to the difference between a
dove and pigeon.
The racing pigeon is an
athlete of the sky, being bred
and improved for liberation
purposes since the 1850s. A
highly competitive and
scientific sport/hobby, paying
particular attention to genetics
and eugenics.
Most of the world's population
is oblivious to the homing
instincts and performance of a
pigeon, through no fault of
their own.
Many of the so called "animal
cruelty" activists would like to
see a total ban on pigeon
racing/liberation.
However if your reference is
to the few Neanderthals that
do commit such acts of
cruelty, I fully agree.
I have been a racing pigeon
fancier in excess of 50 years
and the people I know that
release pigeons at such events
Continued on page 8
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7
www.sasmallholder.co.za
the community at large.
He and (his wife) Christine
were very well known for
their devotion to animals and
as mentioned in the article
Rowan's knowledge of steam
engines was quite far
reaching.
He regaled us quite a few
times with stories and
interesting facts and was
justifiably very proud of the
Sylviavale Museum.
And the Austin Princess ? It
amuses me to see a large dog
majestically draped across the
Continued on page 8