PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9149, 6 July 1895, Page 10

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held at the City Council Chambers yesterday. Present—Mr W. Prudhoc (in the chair), Mesdames Julius, Irving, Messrs D. Duncan, and J. H. Parker. Apologies were received for the absence of the Mayor and Mr Murphy. The Inspector reported that during the past month he had visited Timaru and Lyttelton and Christchurch yards. He referred to the shipment of sheep to Sydney, and said the arrangements on board the vessels were better than hitherto. He also made allusion to the shipment of cattle by the Perthshire, and to the statement of prices, &&, reported by cablegram. He reported that the Board of Trade had decided upon new regulations with regard to the shipment of stock in future. The person in charge must be provided with a certificate of competency and must have a stated number of assistants, according to the amount of stock carried. These regulations would ensure more attention to shipped stock on the voyage. It would be well, be suggested, if there was a system of inspection of the quality and quantity of the fodder at the port of departnre. The Inspector had written to the Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland Societies, asking their opinion as to the naming of traders' carts. During the month cautions had been administered as under:—Horses 14, cattle 2, pigs and poultry 1 each. The subscriptions collected amounted to £4 19j ; the balance in hand was £12 Is lOd.

The' repor* was adopted, and it was decided to communicate with the other Societies about tbe establishment of a system for the inspection of fodder on board stock ships at the port of departure. Information was received concerning the dipping of some sheep on a very cold day' recently. The parties concerned were named. The Inspector reported that the dipping was on account of the sheep being badly attacked with vermin.

The meeting requested the Inspector to write to the proper authorities in order that it might not recur. The Inspector read a letter which had appeared in a local paper, referring to the poor condition of the tram horses at Dunedin. and complaining of the treatment to which they were subjected. It was decided to communicate with the Society in Dunedin. It was decided to print and publish the annual report, after which the meeting adjourned.