THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15860, 27 March 1917, Page 5

THE COUNTRY.

NOTES AND NEWS

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Mr W. J. Anderson, of FJcmington, recently threshed out a paddock of wheat which averaged 42 bushels per acre. The yield, however, -was not nearly so good as was anticipated, as beforo.'the wheat -was reaped it looked Jiko a - 60 or 65 bushel crop. Similar crops in the Flemington district, -where there is a very large area of rich land, gave corresponding results. Ploughing operations in various parts of the Ashburton district were resumed yesterday. CHEVIOT. A meeting of the Cheviot Ladies' Belgium and Patriotic Committee was held on Saturday afternoon, there heing a laTge attendance of members. Lists were handed in showing very satisfactory donations and gifts of produce, cake, etc., for the luncheon ana jumble stall at the Annual Show. It is expected that the results will exceed those of last year. LADBROOKS. A -welcome rain set in. on Saturday evening, and continued all Sunday. Ploughing has been at a standstill lately owing, to _ the dry weather. Very large quantities of grain are still being sent forward. Chaff catting has ceased, owing to the Railway Department being unable to supply waggons to take away the chaff. A deputation is to -wait on the general manager and Minister of Railways in the-matter. Wandering cattle are proving nuisance to motor and railway traffic. darSteld. The Darfield School branch of the Young- Helpers' League last -week remitted the sum of £3 7s 9d to the secretary in London, in aid of the Barnardo Homes. LITTLE RIVER. A meeting of subscribers to the Doctors' Guarariteo Fund -was held in the J Town Hall, on Saturday. It was an- • nounced thai; over £200 was already in hand towards the proposed buying of Mr J. Reed's residence to enable a doctor to come to tho district. It "was decided to ask the doctor to come down to-morrow to have a look at the house. AKAROA. Miss Aiinie Mcintosh, who has been transferred from Kopua, South Canterbury, to tho position of junior assistantmistress in the local District High. School, commenced her duties on Friday last. Miss Edith Bruce, 8.A., second daughter of Mr J. D. Bruce, Akaroa, who has been acting as 1 relieving teacher since the holidays, has received word that she has been appointed to the staff of the Qtago Girls' High School, Dunedin. As the result of the visit of Miss Garden, a branch of the Young Helpers' League, in connexion -with the Barnardo Homes, has been formed in Akaroa. The following ladies havo accepted office: President, Mrs Geo. Armstrong ; vice-presidents, Mesdames J. W. Hayward, IV. Youngman, H. W. Wilkins, A. H. Julius, and C. Hali; i hon. secretary, Miss Isa Morrison. In . two days over 80 members were en- : rolled. | RAKAIA. ' Miss E. Hardv has been chosen as teacher at tho Rakaia School in place of Mrs Kesteven (nee McLean). ASHBURTON. The 30 yards primary schools swimming championship was held at tho Domain Bath, Asnburton, on Saturday, with the following result:—Erick P.'Pocock (Borough School) 1, A. McClymont (Hampstead) 2, Robert Culling (Borough) 3. ' Time, 17 2-osec. In order to liquidate a portion of the debt remaining on the new Church of Christ building at Ashburton, the members of tho Ladies' Sewing Guild arranged a sale of work, which commenced at tho church yesterday afternoon. The stalls consist of needlework, produce, fruit, and sweets, and good business was done at each. In tho evening a short programme was t submitted and supper was served. At tho monthly meeting of tho Upper Ashburton Roacl Board, held on Saturday, the chairman (Mr C. J. Harper)" and Mr . J. Farrell were elected to act as trustees for soldiers' farms under tho Government scheme, and to assist the Efficiency Board in making provision for the carrying on of . primary industries during tho present war ' crisis. It was decided to co-operate 'with the Ashburton Borough Council in regard to "Anzac Day." DEHORNING CATTLE. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir. —In replying to your correspondents who say they dehorn cattle themselves, and have written in justification of it, I .will, deal with those points ■ raised by them that also came before the courts in England. I am quoting from a publication I obtained several years ago from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in England. It is thoroughly reliable, and is a verbatim report of the evidence given in court by both sides, those in favour of the practice being all farmers, while those who condemned it were tho leading men representing the veterinary profession, arid, the agricultural societies of the United Kingdom. Your correspondent, Mr Hay, saj-s:—"Look how many human lives have been lost by being gored to death," and then proceeds to mention 60 milk cows that had vjbeen dehorned. If Mr Hay had given I the number of bulls and th« number of

cows that are dehorned, it would become apparent to anyone to what extent the goring of human beings by bulls has to do with this subject, and I can find no evidence about dehorning bulls. Mr Hay then says:—"We tried this (tipping tho horns), but wo had to give it up at once, for in cutting just the tips off it left such a sharp edge round the horn, that it just cut the skin right through. Several farmers in the English case contended that tipping did not prevent goring, but none went so far as to say that tipping the horns caused actual damage, while all tho professional witnesses on tho other side were unanimous that tipping was amply sufficient, and satisfied two judges on that point. Mr Justice Hawkins, the second Judge, makes a special reference to this in his judgment. "Nevertheless the farmers, graziers, and dealers throughout England, gentlemen quite as alive to their own interests as those who adopted this cruel practice (dehorning) have not for years attempted to adopt it as a remedy. Is not this abundant proof that dehorning is not necessary .... and that tipping or knobbing have been found to be and are sufficient?" Mr Hay says: "If the centre of the liorn wero cut it bled far more, than taking off all the horn." Professor McCall, cross-ex-amined, said: ''There need not bo any blood at All, but if you cut into the quick there will bo blood." Again Mr Hay says: "I have seen cattle feeding fifteen minutes after being dehorned." Professor Malley, Principal Royal Dicks Veterinary College of Edinburgh, questioned on the suggestion that the operation causes no pain because the animals feed at once, replied that: "That is no test at all." Mr Hay says eighteen months to two years aro the best ages (for dehorning), but does not state his grounds for saying so. The professional men produced a section of horn in court and demonstrated the highly sensitive nature of the horn at that age, the technical details of which are too lengthy to print. Finally Mr Hay says,- "All cattlo for trucking should be dehorned. No ono has any idea of tho cruelty but thoso who havo had the experience." Mr Justice Hawkins mentions that vehiclo (the railway trucks) in his judgment as follows: "This brings me to the consideration of the reasons on behalf of the: respondent by way of justification for the revolting operation. Thoso reasons shortly stated are as follows—that the operation makes the cattle grazo better and fatten moro quickly; that it prevents them, of viciously disposed, from goring and injuring other cattle .... and lastly that tho results attained by dehorning could not be attained by any other known means. That it alters their character my be true enough. It is highly calculated to do so ... . and it requires no great amount of evidence to prove that if required to travel, moro can be packed into a railway truck. To support a conviction then two things must be proved, first, that the pain or suffering had. been inflicted; and, secondly, that it was without necessity, or, in other words, without good reason. That the operation of dehorning is accompanied by excruciating torture is beyond all question. Anyone who could read that description of the process and reflect for a moment upon tho agony of the poor mutilated creatures without bemg painfully touched with commiseration must be devoid of all pity for the miseries and distresses of God's creatures; and he who would willingly inflict sticli suffering, unless under the direst necessity, must indeed bo cruel at heart, and insensible to every dictate of humanity." Thoso were the words of an English Judge. In conclusion the following resolution was unanimously adopted* as the views of the veterinary profession (in England) : "That the National Veterinary Association strongly disapproves of the indiscriminate practice of dehorning." Dur-

ing tho discussion it transpired that it was necessary to dishorn sometimes to cure diseases or remove malformations, and that the operation, when performed on calves, does not give pain.— Yours, etc., WALLEY.