CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1760, 4 April 1912, Page 3

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

CASES BEFORE THE COURT Nicholas Onwegan (Mr Ongley) was before tho Court this morniancharged with cruelty to animals! Mr B. E. Murphy (Secretary S.P 0.A.) conducted tho caso for tho informant

Harry Brant, Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, stated on March 25 he had gone to tho L. and M. yards, in Warwick Street, and saw about 30 sheep; m a small pen, in which there was -hardly any feed and absolutely no water. He and a witness let the sheep in to a larger pen where there was water. Fourteen of the sheep were in a starving condition. He was a drover, and understood sheep thoroughly. He considered sheep should not Ijo left more than M, hours without feed and water. I here were two dead sheep in the yards. .

- leter McGregor stated he had sold Nicholas- Onwegan 66 lambs on \ & lt l 22, Onwegan took delivery of the sheep, and put them back lowards evening of the same day witness saw 32 of the sheep in the bowling ;greeu paddock, which has water laid on. The sheep were put there without authority from his company. On Monday morning he saw the lambs m a smaller, paddock, from which they had access by a broken gato to a paddock with water He immediately ordered the sheep to be sent out to Onwegan. He ftthpught it cruelty,, carelessness, and negligence to-leave sheep for three Cays like these had been left. io Mr Ongley: Ho sold the sheep to Onwegan as a line of 66, and counted them himself when handing them over to Onwegan. One of the Go's men afterwards removed them to the bowling green paddock. Un the Saturday following Onwegan paid for the 66 lambs. ,A - Musgrove stated he had been the sheep in the paddock on Saturday atJLO a.m. and again on Monday morning. He considered it cruel to leave them in such a way. _ William Crossan gave 'evidence that he had got the sheep out of the ya-rd and let them feed for two hours on the road before driving them to Onwegan's. He got a refrom Mrs Onwegan when he left the sheep. James Scandyln, drover, deposed £,r lambs > wheji. lie saw thorn pn March 25, were very weakly from hunger. . •

Defendant stated he had bought -» J?e? of lambs at 4s 9d, at the l|eildmg sale on March 22, and on counting them out found there were 04. He to f 6k them out of the pen m the . afternoon, but McGregor drove them. back again to the pea to count them. McGlone called out "34," and McGregor said that was right. The sheep were bought for McGlone. and the 34 were driven 'to his place.

To. Mr Murphy: If McGregor says he sold a line of 66, he is telling the biggest lie I ever heard. (Laughter). Re-examined by Mr Ongley, defendant said McGregor had offered to pay for the two or three dead sheep •ont of. his own pocket. Witness paid for the 66 on that understanding He did not want 66. About 30 Si- 40 would _have been enough for himself and McGlone.

I'.redenck McGlone stated Omvegan was to buy some sheep at -the sale, and ~he (witness) was to rtako some if he got a small line. He saw the pen p.ut up as "40 more or less " an dOnwegan hought them. Later 'in the day he counted the sheep and made them 34.

; Tlie Court adjourned till 2 p.m. , On _ resuming, the Magistrate dismissed the charge. There was no doubt .of the cruelty, be said but nothing to connect the defendant witn it." • •■'-..