NIGHT CART HORSES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 17

NIGHT CART HORSES.

TO THE EDITOR OT THE PBESS.

Sir,—l have read with interest and thankfulness the letters of your various correspondents on this subject and can endorse all that has been said about the cruelty to the poor old horses attached to these carts. My business takes me along the North road in the early morning, and it is a common thing to see one of these carts standing on the road (often on its wrong side) the driver asleep and the filth from the leaky old cart running into the side channel. Scarlet fever is very prevalent in Papanui and Belfast at the present time, and can one >hen the air is poisoned nightly by these slow-moving abominations ? Yours, etc., WATCHFUL. TO TEE EMTOB 01 TEE PRESS. Sir, — I have read with much interest the letters appearing in your journal during the past few days, in reference to the nightsoil and Council carthorses, written by "G.G.", "Dumb Animals," etc. I quite concur with their views, except where "Dumb Animals" states the Council horses are well looked after by their drivers. Except in a few cases much could be done to alter their general appearance. They are well fed, no doubt, in some instances, perhaps too well fed, with not sufficient beet, etc., to counteract the effects of too much hard feed. Their legs, with a few exceptions, are scabby and deplorably dirty. Their manes and tails are also unkempt and dirty. Their necks or withers in some instances are very tender, and also dirty. If the engineer and his assistant, who, I am quite sure, know "nothing whatever about horses," would take an experienced horsekoeper and overhaul the Council horses, he would find, with a few exceptions, what I have stated to be substantially correct. The City Engineer tells ns the horses are worth £6O each. If this is tru6, why are they not put in charge of a competent or practical horsekeeper?—Tours, etc., ONE WHO KNOWS.