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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 3 (July 24, 1926)

[section]

Quick work by railway men in retrieving an awkward position caused by an error on the part of a porter is the subject of pleased comment by officers of the Franklin Poultry Club. The early train from Auckland on Thursday morning brought about twenty-five homing pigeons, in two crates, from an Onehunga owner for entry at the club's show. However, following a practice in vogue by arrangement between pigeon owners and railway men, in connection with pigeon flying contests, a porter liberated the birds, not noticing that they were consigned to the club secretary, and on the label were written the words, “not to be liberated.” The crates were also put on an Auckland-bound train a few minutes later, to be returned to Onehunga, states the “New Zealand Herald.” When the mistake was discovered, the Pukekohe railway staff quickly established communication with the owner and the officers at his nearest station, with the result that the birds were secured on arrival at their loft, put back into the crates, and sent back to the show by train in time to be judged.

The above is published to show how a situation may be retrieved when one of the few errors to which even railwaymen are liable, gets itself committed. Instead of crying over spilt pigeons, the quickest means were taken to have them replaced. On being asked to explain a similar mistake in the Christchurch goods shed a few years back the storeman confessed himself stumped. “These little things will happen,” he wrote, “God only knows why!”