CASE OF CRUELTY.

NZ Truth, 15 March 1924, Page 10

CASE OF CRUELTY.

The treatment meted out to horses returning to Wellington after tho Blenheim meeting was such as to cause , the S.P.C.A. people to throw three somersaults. They were loaded onthe train at Blenheim at 5 p.m. on Saturday and taken to Picton and placed down the three by two hold of the Wainui. There they stayed till just after noon on Sunday, the boat arriving m Wellington at 12.10 p.m. Cruelty to dumb animals ls putting it mildly. What was to prevent the Railway Department running a train down early on Sunday morning and by so doing giving the animals the benefit of the night's rest on shore? At sailing time on Sunday morning the hold was comparable with the black hole of Calcutta and the boys down attending to the horses were nearly suffocated by tho heat. The water ,tanks on tho Wainui were lightened considerably as each horse took three times its usual drink. Then If all this was not bad enough the packet received a nice dusting from the time she loft Tory Channel till she reached the lee of Terawhiti. A goodly number of the passengers were more than glad to get once again on the wharf, but their pleasure was naught to that of the poor brutes down the hold. Then there is another matter to be considered when horses are loaded overnight. The boys looking after horses had their beds i,n; Blenheim, but on arrival at Picton they found it impossible to get quarters. : Thore was nothing else for It but to doss on board — on tho deck, not. down below, oh. dear, no, that Is not allowed. Very nice, till it Is tried, and it is no wonder one of the apprentices got up and walked In his sleep!