on a range of issues associated with dog control in Bermuda, Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson announced this week.

The public has raised a number of concerns about dogs, some of which were expressed and debated when the Dogs Amendment Act was approved by the Legislature in June, he noted.

Former Dog Warden Leonard (Shinah) Simons will chair the committee which includes veterinarians and representatives from the SPCA, kennel, breeding and training clubs and the Bermuda Police Service.

The committee has been charged with reviewing the full range of dog control services -- assessing the services provided by the Dog Wardens and the effectiveness of the policies, programmes and legislation pertaining to the control of dogs and will make a series of recommendations to the Minister on how best to address the public's concerns.

It will start work in early November and has been asked to complete its deliberations in January and to report to the Minister by the end of February, 2001. Mr. Hodgson plans to release the findings of the Committee and details of the action he intends to take within a month of receiving the Committee's report.

The community is invited to contribute to the committee's work by forwarding written submissions to the Chairman before November 30. Letters should be addressed to the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box HM 836, Hamilton HM CX or sent via e-mail to kmonkman(at)bdagov.bm.

SILVER LADLE DISCOVERED ART Silver ladle discovered A Bermuda-made silver ladle has been found this week as a result of the Bermuda National Gallery's Made in Bermuda Exhibition .

A young Bermudian found the large ladle in the dump three years ago and said: "when I read about the gallery's exhibition, I decided to take it to see if they could tell me some more information about it.'' The ladle has the initials "JMP'' stamped on the inside and has the mark of renowned silversmith Peter Pallais -- PP -- stamped twice on the back of the ladle which was quite common for Bermudian Silversmiths.

Peter Pallais came to Bermuda in 1787 and died here in 1811.

In 1792, his first advertisement as a Silver Smith appeared. He worked with Thomas Blatchley in St. George's and took over his premises and business after his death.

Work by Blatchley is also on display at the made in Bermuda Exhibition.

Pallais was extremely prolific and more of his larger pieces are known than any other Bermuda Silver Smith.

The ladle has been added to the exhibition and its value has been recognised as a valuable contribution to Bermuda's heritage.

Senior Curator of the Bermuda National Gallery, Marlee Robinson, said: "This is really quite exciting, and is exactly what this exhibition is all about. We want to encourage people to look in their homes and surroundings and to be more curious about the historical objects which surround them.'' The Bermuda National Gallery is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.