The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1891.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 213, 8 September 1891, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1891.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For tho -wrong that ncods resistance, For the future in the distance, And tho good that wo can do.

"Tainted with cruelty" is the somewhat serious charge wbich a recent cable informs us is made against colonials in the current number of the " Fortnightly Review." Nor does the unpleasant accusation emanate from one of the globe-trotters who accept our hospitality only to turn again and rend us, nor yet again from a travelling novelist, but from one of ourselyes —a certain Mr Adams, to wit. We must confess that the name of this gentleman is utterly unknown to us, though he claims to be a colonial journalist, and must be accounted a person of some note and literary attainments in the eyes of the editor of the "Fortnightly," who is usually somewhat chary of opening the pages of that august review to pens of peripatetic journalists or unknown contributors of any sort. It is, however, _ not with Mr Adams of mysterious identity, but rather his charge of cruelty, that we wish now to deal. At the very time that cable was being despatched from Home, the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was holding a meeting on the subject of forming Bands of Mercy. It may be thought that the very fact of the necessity for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shows that colonials are cruel, and that the wish to establish Bands of Mercy (associations to imbue children with the spirit of kindness to animals) argues a taint in colonial blood, such as Mr Adams alleges. But a careful consideration of the working of the S.P.C.A. in Auckland instantly demolishes any such unpleasant theory. The number of prosecutions instij tuted and the cautions which members and officers of the Society have been obliged to give during the past few years have been strikingly few. Wanton cruelty would seem to be nearly non-existent, and that which springs from want of thought is shotvn, by the Society's statistics, to be, comparatively speak- [ ing, slight in ratio to the population. The common London street spectacle of a horse down and half a dozen men kicking the poor animal in the stomach as the most effectual strengthener for the effort of rising, is, we are proud to say, almost utterly ; unknown here. It may be said, perhaps, that the instinct remains, but that any such exhibition of brutality would be quickly resented by the bystanders, so that men who would be cruel if they could, dare not do so. While not for a moment admitting that the desire for brutality is inherent amongst colonials who have charge of dumb animals, there is, we think, an ample refutation of Mr Adams' charge in the fact that public opinion would instantly crush such desire if it ever did manifest itself. Nobody who has visited the Old Country—especially its great cities— can fail to have been struck by the comparative callousness with which a crowd will watch suffering on the part of animals. It is so common to see carters kick their horses by way of stimulating them to greater efforts, that but few will take the trouble resulting from interference. Public opinion at Home is theoretically very strong on the question of cruelty to animals, but to a very great extent it is satisfied with theory. It is perfectly certain that either by training or instinct coloniai children are far more humane than those in the Old Country. Bird-nesting is a mild — perhaps the mildest — form of cruelty springing from want of thought, but even that is far less common in the colony than in the Old Country. Cruelty to dogs and cats is, comparatively speaking, unknown .in the colony. Certainly both are better looked after here. One never hears of the ghastly deeds of dastardly cruelty wbich are reported at shamefully frequent intervals in Home journals. The delights of pelting a half-starved cat with brick-bats and the joys of attaching kettles to the caudal appen-i dages of some spiritless mongrels are not, we are glad to say, common amongst even the roughest of our street larrikins. The comparatively common ' metropolitan amusement of dog-fighting is not greatly encouraged in this city, and the action of some "gentlemen" in London in saturating a woolly-coated dog with kerosene and setting the creature alight we venture to think, rouse the spirit and raise the gorge of the most besotted bar-loafer in the city. Yet several cases of dog-burning are yearly chronicled in the books of the Liverpool branch of the English Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is, of course, useless to deny that there are horses driven here that never should leave the stable. There are black sheep in every fold, but we venture to think that Aucklanders, and indeed all New Zealanders, are very much better in this respect than the British public, who have doubtless swallowed Mr Adams' dictum with their usual open - mouthed avidity. The principal work of the ' S.P.C\A. " in this country is, in fact, looking after animals belonging to those crude farmers who com.c to this country and farming work from desk,street,or "trade" in the Old Country. Utterly ignorant of the ways and wants of the horses, cattle, or sheep of which ..they so> confidently assume

charge, these worthy folks would unwittingly cause much suffering but fos the Society. Thoughtless cruelty is, however, very badly displayed even here in the overcrowding of animals ia cattle trucks for transportation to town from the country districts. There are several disagreeable stories of pigs from " up country " dying by the dozen in the shockingly overcrowded pens and carriages. Much has been done to remedy what used to be a disgraceful state of things; but pigs from the country often leave at six one morning and do not reach the terminus until late next day. Ail this time the poor brutes are unable to move, huddled and even crushed together, and though the weather is often fearfully hot, kepi without food or, more horrible stillj water. Yet, if these things were, better known, we venture to think that, despite Mr Adams' "taunt oi cruelty," they would quickly b* mended. The desire amongst the members othe S.P.C.A. to found Bands of Mercy deserves the warm support of all in terested in the welfare and up-bringing, of the coming race. Of all vices, the kindred vices of selfishness and cruelty are the most detestable. A selfish man or woman is not of necessity cruel, but usually they are twin demons in possession, and a cruel person is invariably selfish. Bands of Mercy encourage unselfishness by leading children to take a sound interest in living things outside themselves. Thoughtlessness is only another and more specious title for selfishness, and ignorance is, under certain circumstances, one of the wickedest things in the world. Bands of Mercy are intended fust of all to interest children in animals, their ways and wants, instil thoughtfulness for, them, and to cultivate a higher ideal as to the place given to animals in the world. We have already given our opinion that our lads and lasses, and even aur larrikins, are wonderfully free from the sin of wanton cruelty, and if Bands of Mercy enable us to rectify our sins of omission, we shall be able to throw back Mr Adams' .accusation with evea more force than we can at present.