"CRUEL TRADE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 202, 28 August 1933, Page 8

"CRUEL TRADE."

BOBBY CALF TRAFFIC. NORTH AUCKLAND CRITIC. LAW NOT ADHERED TO. "To say the best of it, the bobby calf trade is cruel, and we want the best conditions all round from farmer, operator and freezing company, to bring the victims to their doom as quickly ae possible," said the chairman of the No. 1 District Transport Licensing Authority, Mr. W. Jone<3. "While the industry ie developing vastly and represents a great help to the primary producer, we have the evidence of our own cars and eye& to convince us. The law that calves must be three to five days old before they are taken to the works is not being carried out properly, and it is our desire to see that every possible improvement is made. Lambs are usually four months old, and pigs from four to eix before they are transported, and have more constitution." I Mr. Grigg, representing the Railway Department, inquired whether the authority had considered the possible effect its decision would have upon the Okaihau line. J Mr. Jones: Although it is no business '■ of ours, we consider the Railway Department could do more than it is doing with reference to the carrying service on that line. The main outcome of this report is that we consider there is enough cruelty in the bobby calf business without adding to it. Mr. Grigg pointed out that in the Waikato and Franklin districts practically every calf was consigned by rail. It was usual for all calves within a radius of about 15 miles 'to be taken to the nearest railway station and shipped from there. Even at Papakura, eight miles from Westfield, calvee were collected in this manner and placed on the rails. Mr* Jones: There, as you say, the distances are about lo miles. In the North the railhead ie often 43 miles or more away, with only one train a day. If alterations are made at Okaihau we may make a change in favour of the railway next year. Mr. Jones suggested consideration of a proposal that during the winter months, at any rate, calves should be slaughtered on the farms and the carcases sent to tho works.