STOCK ON RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13879, 2 November 1910, Page 6

STOCK ON RAILWAYS.

COMPLAINTS OF CRUELTY. Some unsatisfactory aspects in regard to the carrying of stock on railways were brought under tho notice of tho Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at its meeting last evening. The Inspector reported that several •well-grounded complaints had been made in reference to the unreasonable length of time taken in the transit of stock from Port Lyttelton. Frequently cattle arriving by tho early morning steamer were kept in the truck for eight or ten hours in coming a .journey ot as many mike, and as a consequence wero without food and water lor far too long a period. A few days ago his attention had been drawn to several trucks of cattle which were on a siding at the Christchurch railway station for nearly a whole day. One of the animals was down in th© truck, and one had its hern broken and bleeding. The Inspector had been informed that the cattle had arrived by tho steamer that morning from Wellington, and their destination was Islington. The Inspector further reported that a largo Southern dealer had asked him to bring before the .Society the necessity for providing tarpaulin covers for all trucks containing cattle or horses convoyed on the railways. The dealer had stated that intense suffering was inflicted upon cattle put in open trucks ckse behind the engines. The dealer added that he had had occasion to travel in an open truck througlnmo e>f the tunnels on the iSonthern main line, and had never had such a horrible experience in his life. lie had given instructions to havo tarpaulins placed ever every truck lie used, for which ho paid, and would not allow any of his stock to be convoyed by rail without being so protected in future. The Inspector expressed the opinion that if any tunnel in the world c;illed for such protection it was the Lyttelton tunnel, and he thought it .should bo made, a criminal offence to send stock in trucks close up to the engines without, tarpaulins or other covering <,n the top of the truck. The complaints were discussed, nnd it was decided to communicate with the railway authorities.