OUR LETTER BOX.

Bush Advocate, Volume IX, Issue 795, 22 June 1893, Page 3

OUR LETTER BOX.

■ — -♦— — • [Correspondence upon topics of genera interest in the district is invited, but wi are not responsible for the opinions ex pressed] A plea'f6r the animals. ,:,.; . (To the Editor.) _■ -, ; .Seßj-t-I was pleased to notice somi time back- in tha Advocate- a lettei signed .-', Humanity,' being an abli protest against cruelty to animals, anc the present* time affords abundani cause for reflection on that .subject - The animals are given us of God fdi our use and benefit; 1 and they are dependent on us on whoni they an thrown for care and protection : and especially, considering] ', the . 1 ■ mud smaller mental powers with which they are endowed, it is often astoi,---ishinghow well and faithfully they carry. out their duties, while what they receive' in return is often horrifying to think of. The Scandinavians as a people show great regard for • animals, and in their country laws against cruelty to animals are 1 strictly enforced; And I sup pose there are, English laws for the same purpose if they were only car- . r^.S ut - A 3 New, Zealand is of a : considerably warmer climate than •what we call 'The Old , Country,' ■: cattle and other animals are feeding :i outside the whole year. : This would be right enough on most occasions, „ providing.there. is food enough; -yet when we consider those exceptionally cold nighte and days which we have in wirjteVMme like a few days ago when : the snow was 'six inches in Norsewood and other places, it seems criminajly wrong Jo.Jeave. the-. poor """beasts" outside .without food and shelter. In bur 'own case we know we have much less power to resist cold here than at Homeland we wear as niueh clothes as '.there. ; And may not the same proportion apply to animals. It 'would be a great blessing if an act was passed m compelling people to provide ■ shelter, for the beasts during the coldest parts of the ■ winter.; Some: are 'doing it .'" now, and I am sure they "sea the benefit of it,' if- only from an economical point of view, and if it had to be done they would find means to do it. * ;Ifl human beingß suffer wrong (at least among us) they can apply for protection, and explain their case Ito ■ ..those who will put. matters right. The animals have no such privileges, but are depending on our human feelings for protection and care. Per- ■: haps steep are better able to resist cold, having a woollen coat, if only they have sufficient feed. Mr Sidney . Johnston, of Takapau, deserves credit for the mariner in which bis sheep are provided.for, viz., .by oats and chaff id suitable boxes. 'L believe (or hope) that the cruelty to bullocks is diminished in New Zealand of late, but 1 must say a word on ill-treat-ment. • of ■„ .hordes. • j Not ,. only are some horses ■ exposed to cold and hunger, but like Balaam's ass they are often treated with, shameful cruelty by. their^ driver, and they would be . . able to tell maaya pathetic stdry if . ! they Jiad the. gift of .speech granted to them. Xjemember, seeing, a horse Vsomd tyekrs ago -which 1 was left in ... Norse wood, aa fter; ( ter ; having gone about IOO; miles jn" one 'stretch. It \^as ' Orally' brojcfnsp;wb and died shortly after. A youftg* 1 man was driving a horaeoihroußhi some 'part of Norsewood a few daya-ago. The horse wa9 , ' too hupgry rand exhausted to move •long, but staggered pver c t6 thelr'oadside feeding, notwithstanding being lashed with o Stockwhip and knocked on the Head'with th'e'handle. Many pimlUr: eases joould. he /mentioned which should. pot be tok^led in a civilised oountry. I hayft Dee \n told _ b.X 955LS? 10 §5. w it howjyfc^|Bed to * treat camels in""Alexandria. '""The camel would :-kneel;<dpwh. wjiile tae people loaded big loads of stone on his back, and then they would sting ! .him with spears toinake Himrise. and •ofted whetfthe'pbbr^ahittal was half way up he^.wonld' fall with a pitiable „. groan to the ground with his too heavy -', burdehA,Thisißi.inhcirian, and more: . . Bhould be expected of us than- of the ' Turks. "IshbUld'bevery glad if th,e • feelings of ihen and women with more ability than I possess would be s stirred, and that a'Gruelty tb/4qiraals Prevention Society would, be formed among us, like in some. other places. -r-Yours, etc., ' " ■ ;: '/ ' ;■ ' : .".' "■•' j.e.s. Nbrs«wood| Jufae 2i- '