CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 87, 11 April 1906, Page 8

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your Wednesday's issue there appears a letter over the signature of E. Braitkwaite, giving details of acts of cruelty -witnessed by him. If the writer, instead of writing to your paper, had called the attention of the nearest policeman he would have done more good than by writing twenty letters. The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals employs a most indefatigable officer, visiting the cattle saleyards, the shipping and discharging of cattle, the haulage of cattle by train, the poultry market, the horse-racing, etc; but unfortunately he is not übiquitous; that i 3 his only failing. The greatest difficulty the society has to contend with is the unwillingness of -witnesses to give evidence in Court. A lad}' informed mc of a most atrocious case, in -which a brute had been beating his horse with a hammer, and that to her. dying ■ day she would never forget the cries of the poor horse. I immediately wrote to the -witness, saying that if she would come forward and give evidence I would see that the brute would get his deserts, but she was not willing to do so, nor did she become a subscriber to the society—and here is another ' difficulty, lack of funds. It seems almost incredible that in a population of, say, GO,OOO, only about 4 per cent, are subscribers to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Protection of Women and Children. At our last monthly meeting the chairman announced that he was £20 out of pocket for current expenses. No-w, Mr. Braithwaite, kindly hurry up with your subscription, and get your friends to do likewise.—l am, etc., JAMES BURTT, Vice-president -S.P.CA.