Mr Frank Gary
Crosswicks - N.J. - USA

29-6-1981

Dear Mr Gary,

I thank you for your letter of 14th June and the information contained therein.

My wife has returned home unexpectedly after the doctor advising me two days previously that she would be hospitalised for perhaps another 2 weeks. They gave her an injection to sedate which it has certainly done, too much so in my opinion. I would have thought they would have kept her in the clinic to observe the effects. You speak of lithium. She has been using Lithium Carbonate for some 10 or 12 years. I believe it was first developed in Australia about that time. It did keep her reasonably stabile for sometime, but I don’t believe it is doing its job any more. As you may be aware too high a level in the blood becomes toxic. For some reason a couple of years ago suddenly the level rose very high, whether she took too many tablets or did not drank enough fluid was not determined. However she was at death door for 4 or 5 days. It is necessary to have the level checked regularly.

My eyes are not as good as they were. The doctor increased the strength of the Pilocarpine to 3% hoping it will improve the situation.

The business enterprises are improving, I mentioned the nursery setup. That may have to wait a little while as another opportunity looks like arising in the food business. A friend of mine advised me only last week that a small shopping complex is being built just off the main street of Maitland with new shops available. My son’s shop at the moment is in the downtown area. The new situation is midtown and could provide another outlet for his takeaway food. It would be an ideal situation. On the strength of it he is going to Sydney this week to speak with the developer. Hopefully something may come of it therefore that will probably mean work for me, setting it up etc. We will just have to wait and see after his Sydney trip.

Thank you for your comment on the Standard chapter. Basically it is the same we agreed on except for the fact of Scale of Points and the like. Some of the breeders I feel need to be put in an awkward position, although it’s very hard to get a message through in this country. It will be interesting to observe the reaction when the treatise does get into print. Still have a couple of chapter to do then print it, so it will be a few months yet. OK on Cock being repeated. There are a few mistakes here and there. Hopefully not too many. Thanks for checking this out. I have been so busy over the last month as so printing schedules for our own Poultry show and the Pekin Bantam Club schedule and Newsletter  that I haven’t been able to get on with the book. We had our local show here in Maitland the weekend before last: 850 entries and we were delighted with the profit we made, $ 175.00. It’s pretty hard these days to make a profit on a show and although a few of us worked pretty hard the effort was well worthwhile.

The Pekin Club Show is on 26th July. My son and I show in partnership. Managed to take out Reserve Soft Feather Bantam award with a Black Hen at the local show. Travel 40 miles south next weekend, then 100 miles north the weekend after.

All being well I will be travelling up to Brisbane, the capital of the State of Queensland (about 600 miles north) in early August. We have entered some Pekins in the Royal Show up there. Will endeavour to keep the Queensland breeders honest. It’s so much warmer in Brisbane at that time of the year, beautiful weather in fact and I have another reason for going. My Father’s brother lives there. He will be 94 years old this year and now only plays lawn bowls 3 times a week instead of 5. I was speaking to his son per telephone the other night and he says the old fellow is slowing up a bit, although he has just completed building some bird cages and painted the back of his house from scaffolding a few months ago. He is the only one left now. My father passed some 12 years ago aged 78 and my aunt who lived next door to me reached the age of 90, died about 3 years ago. The other brother died at on early age. He was gassed in Worldwar I.

Regarding the illustrations my son is going to do. I will let you judge whether they come up to the quality you require for the Bantam Standard. He is finding difficulty getting the time with all his commitments.

Today I received a letter from one of the leading Poultry Clubs in Queensland accepting the offer of a ABA medallion which Fred Jeffrey sent me (5). It will be for competition at their 1982 Show and they have undertaken to supply photographs of the Champion Bantam which I will send on to Fred. One medallion was supplied to Bantam Club of NSW. It was won by Modern game which was Ch. amongst about 800 birds. I am hopefully getting photos of that bird to send to Fred. They may be suitable for the Yearbook.

Thanks for the offer of publicity with my manuscript. You will get one as soon as they are off the press. I will look forward to your comments. The text is somewhat rambling in places but I’m afraid that is my style. I think however there is information in it that will interest the Pekin breeders. I will be glad when it is completed, it’s been a hard grind but satisfying. I only wish that I could have had it published in better form, but as you would be aware publishing costs run pretty high these days. I therefore I did the only way I know now.

That’s it for now, a bit cold at this time of the year, though we don’t have severe winters as you would in New Jersey. All the best, hope your wife is improving.

Sincerely yours,