WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12, 1906. PIGEON SLAUGHTER.

Bush Advocate, Volume XVIII, Issue 590, 12 December 1906, Page 4

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12, 1906. PIGEON SLAUGHTER.

For years past eousiderable objection has beea taken by humane-minded persons to tlie use of lire pigeons in shooting competitioas. Public sentiment is undoubtedly against the practice, and recently, at Feilding, a mau named Charles Tucker, a member of a gun club, was prosecuted for taking part id one of these matches. Tucker was charged that he "did ill-treat a certain animal, to wit, a pigeon." The presiding Justices convicted the defendant, and against this judgment an appeal was ledged. Mr Justice Chapman heard the appeal, and the learned Judge has decided against the Justices. In th« course of his judgment, his Honor said that it seemed to him that he had to approach the nutter by answering two questions, viz. : (1) Are field sports.which involve the infliction of pain, within the Act ? (2) Is there any distinction in

this respect between this form of sport and those field sport-- which have come dovrn to us from our ancestors? As to the first question his Honour said that, were he to answer it in the affirmative, he would be obliged to say that when in 1849 ihe British Parliament passed the Cruelty to Animals Act, it had in mind the suppression of all sports which involved the pursuit of I domestic animals, when it was intended that such animals should be killed and pain incurred in the process ; and that when in 1884 our Parliament passed an Act almost in the same words, but not restricted to domestic animals, it intended virtually to suppress all shooting oi animals and birds, unless in eases where it was shown that death without suffering ensued.ln regard to the English Act, his Honor did not think that the act of killing or wounding tame pigeons was wrhin the minds of the legislators as an act of intentional cruelty. The New Zealand Act presented no greater difficulty, his Honour saying that its purport was that the subject may pursue sport even at the cost of incidentally inflicting pain upon animals, and that the infliction of such pain must not be regarded as contemplated cruelty. On the second question his Honour argued that the act of shooting from a trap had never been condemned by Parliament, and the intrinsic cruelty of the acts of the competitors at a pigeon match was probably less than that of sportsmen shooting an equal number of birds in the field, as there was a higher average of skill and less chance shooting. The suffering of a given number of birds was, on the whole, less, the suffering of individuals no more. He conld not see any logical distinction between the one mode of inflicting incidental pain on birds and the other, and the appeal was therefore allowed. In this matter tho sympathy of the great majority of the public will be entirely against the law, and it the learned Judge's interpretation is correct there will be a very strong demand for a change. The Lassies' Band will give a per* form auce at Norsewood this evening. The Standard reports that Mr A. Hopkirk has disposed of his 1000-acre farm at Awahou to Mr C. Bailey, formerly of Mangatoro. The members of the " Trial by Jury " party have to thank Messrs MacMahon for kindly permitting them to hold arehearsabin the Drill Hall this afternoon. Afc the Police Court this morning, a prohibition order was granted against a local resident on his own application by Messrs Duncan McKay and. Vf. Dobson, J'sP. Sanguine golfer who has just driven from a tee. "Is that on the carpet, caddie ?" Caddie (as the ball swerves in a cottage window). " Yes, sir ; front parlour sir !"— Punch. No recrudescence of the potato blight is anticipated in Otago. Potatoes at Dunedin are now selling at £9 per ton — the normal price at this time of the year. A further drop of £3 to £4, per ton is expected if the present good weather continues. Arrangements are well in hand for the Dannevirke Athletic and Cycling Club's New Year Sports, which promises lo eclipse past gatherings. Numerous enquiries are to hand for programmes. Entries for all events close on Saturday nexi, loth inst. The latest development of the wretched San Francisco mail service is that the mail timed to arrive at Auckland on December 24th, will be passed altogether, and the next mail to arrive will be about January 14. The colony has every reason to put on sackcloth and ashes over its connection with this Yankee combination. With reference to the sale of Mr R E. Rasmussen's town sections on Saturday next, intending buyers are requested to note that sections 43 and 10 have been ulilised as a cross road running parallel with High-street, and that this road has been formed and metalled. Section 29, towards the other end of the block, has also been reserved for a road. By an omission, these roads were not shown on the plan issued on Saturday. The deviation of the road at the Leisure Hour cutting, on the Dannevirke Herbertville Road, has how been completed, and the notice of warning issued by the Council for some time past is now withdrawn. It is generally " admitted that the overseer. Mr Louden, has made a first-class job of the deviation, which, after the old grade, is quite a boon to those who have to u«e the road. The contract for the woric was carried out by Mr J. Culliuane, of Dannevirke. The Weber County Council, alter being merged from the Weber Road Board, held the first general meeting on Feburary 21st, 1903, and the following is a ' list ot attendances made by the members of the council from that date until the annual meeting of November 28th, 1906, during which time 52 meetings were held .- — Councillors A. Munro (County Chairman) 47 attendances, H. Jensen 41 , J Bond 40. J Cripps 40, F. Gregone 38, Jno. Riddell 38, G. Speedy 33, Jas Riddell 13, T. Poole 8 The two latter have only recently been elected. Mr W. J. Castles, of Cave Farm, Wakopiro, has just had fitted up a complete electric plant installation. The power is supplied by an overshot wheel near the house. Three machines have been installed in the woolshed, and ten lights of 32 caudle-power each have been placed in the house. The po«ver can be utilised for chaft" cutting, wood sawing, etc. The contract was carried out by Messrs Turnbull and Jones, of Wellington. The shearing of Mr | Castles' sheep was finished this mcrning, aud the installation of the plant has given the proprietor every satisfaction. Mr Castles- left for Wellington to-day on a visit to the Exhibition.

We are pleased to hear that If A* Munro, the chairman oi the "Weber County Council, -who has been laid aside with illness ior rome weeks past, is now slowly improving. The patient is not able to leave the house yet, and is still under the care of his medical attendant. Mr G. Jaeobson, of South Norsewood, has supplied a want that has long beea needed in a large dairying district like Norsewood, viz., a tinsmiths-establishm-ent. Mr Jacobsou has just moved into a large and commodious shop and workshop erected for him by Messrs Collins Bros., where an up-to date assortment of tinware is always to be found, h* bejng ablo to supply anything ia his line ot Im-ine^s, from roofi.il" irou and tanks down bo the smallest kitchen, utensil. The annual meeting of the Hope of Ormondville Tent was held in the Rechabite Hall last evening, Bro. G. Henson, OR., in the chair, when the following officers were elected for the ensuing six" months: — Bros. D. ReaE; wood, CR. ; G Henson, D.R. ; J. Benbow, treasurer ; Secretary, R C. Groom; Book Steward, W. Price jnr; Levitey F. W. Redward ; Guardian, A. Mildon. Bro. R. C. Groom was deputed to act as the Tent's representative at the District Council to be held at New Plymouth on February 19th. .■'■'■- The residents and millhands around Makotuku intend to give a social'and dance on Friday, the 2lst, and on the following day a cricket match will be played againsfc Ormondville on tie "Ree," when there will also be a sweepstake chopping match. A charge for admission to the ground will be made, the profits derived are to be divided equally amongst'the patients of the two Hospitals as a Xmas box. The following team has been selected to represent Makotuku :— J. Steward, D. Hodges, O. Collins, R Randel, J. McMinns. B. Stuart, P. Olsen, F. Bunt, H. Gasson, G. Richison, arid J. Harvey. The condition of the engines on the San Francisco mailboats was subjected to some humorous criticism by Mr J. P. Luke at a gathering of marine engineers at Wellington recently. He said the Ventura, on which he had travelled from San Francisco to Auckland, had some difficulty in reaching New Zealand. Nearly every day something went wrong in the engine room. The vessel would go along "sometimes on one leg sometimes on the other." He had asked to be allowed to see the engines-, but had been put off until two days before arrival at Auckland. On that day the second engineer had reported that the engine-room was full of steam, so Mr Luka was unable to see the engines at all I The following are the names of the stallholders at the Children's Fair to be held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Tuesday, 18th, and Wednesday, 19th:— Mrs Tansley, fruit and flower stall, assisted by Miss Rosalie Tansley ; MISS " Edkins, confectionery stall, assisted, by. the pupils of the College; Miss Whitlock, toy "stall, assisted by Miss Gretehen Irvine; Miss Zillah Tansley, book and picture stall, assisted by Miss Dolly Monteith ; Mrs Buick, fancy stall, assisted by Miss Brooke-Taylor; Mrs Hodder, children's clothing, assisted | by Miss Hodder; tea room (in aid of St. John's organ fund)," Miss Rika jenssen, assisted by Misses Lulu and Eileen Irvine, and E. Halligan. Mr W. E. Spencer, who was on Monday evening appointed by the Hawke's Bay Education Board to the position of assistant inspector, holds qualifications eminently suiting him to undertake the responsibilities of the position. He was under the Otago Board up to 1891, and while teaching attended the Otago University, obtaining his degrees which, include Master of Arts (with honours in chemistry) and Bachelor of Science, and, under a recent statute of the New Zealand University, he is entitled to the degree of Master Science. His classification under the Education Department is Al. In 1891 he was appointed assistant inspector at Wanganui, and in 1894 received the position of inspector for Taranaki, where he now holds the position of chief inspector and organiser of technical instructioH. In that capacity he has organised technical and continuation classes, also school classes and teachers* classes, while a strong feature has also been made of instruction in agriculture and dairying. Accompanying the application were a number of excellent testimonials, all referring in the highest terms to the capabilities 'and attainments of Mr Spencer as a scholar and his ability to discharge satisfactorily any duties entrusted to him. — Tele-