LETHAL CHAMBER V. DROWNING.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17409, 21 March 1922, Page 7

LETHAL CHAMBER V. DROWNING.

TO f HE EDITOK OE "THE MUSSS.;.' Sir—l have been thankful.to see in your'paper three letters in regard to a lethal chamber, showing- the interest taken,in the matter. These letters bring before the public in,a clear and forceful manner the need .for .one, but to me the point is missed. It is not a .question of the lethal chamber or prussic acid being; the most merciful—ft is'the lethal chamber's quiet.sleep, or the struggle of drowning m a_tank at the City Council's yards. To do away with this, surely the B-P.U.A., will consider a small sum well spent. Those wh6 wish prussic acid for their pets can continue to have it, but with the stray animals at the yards there is no such option. After the,miseries and sufferings strays endure, is it much to aek the S.P.C.A. to take .steps to end their existence in a peaceful sleep, instead of often such struggles as those, ■who, have witnessed them at the City Council's yards dread even to describe? I; understand the City.v Council will give the space at the yards if the Society will undertake the putting up of the chamber, which will end for ever kucli a hideous death, such as no one with a humane mind can contemplate, where there is ah alternative, namely, the lethal chamber as used by the S.P.C.A. throughout., the world. We nil hope to die easily, and it may be something when our own time comes to remember we tried to make it easy for those completely at the mercy of others. We who are advocating this work of mercy are willing to help also, and, when the step is decided on, can "collect from those in sympathy such sums for that purpose, as will leave the S.P.CA. at little expense.

I may add that many more strays would be taken to the yards by kindly people, and save the City Council men, but for the horror of the drowning process; Lethal chamber against drownT ing, pu'ttinw prussic acid out of the matter altogether.—Yours, etc., J. SMITH. Christchurch, March 17th.