ALLEGED CRUELTY TO SHEEP

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22083, 4 May 1937, Page 10

ALLEGED CRUELTY TO SHEEP

POSITION AT ADDINGTON SALEYARDS INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE Allegations that mobs of sheep which Were taken to the Addington saleyards for the weekly sale were not treated properly, and were often left penned up there for the best part of three days, were contained in a letter from Miss C. Bell, of Christchurch, to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was read at a meeting last night. After a short discussion, jr. which one member described Miss Bell's letter as "too drastic," it was decided that a committee, consisting of the chairman, Mr H. P. Bridge, and Mr L. J. Taylor, be set up to visit the Addington saleyards to investigate the complaints. Miss Bell's letter said that she had seen sheep penned up, and when they were at last taken out they were scarcely able to crawl. Animals were kept in the Addington saleyardß for the best part of three days, Miss Bell alleged, and it was useless to deny that this was done elsewhere. Criticising the accommodation paddocks provided on the road, Miss Bell said she wondered how many were provided with water arid if the sheep were able to get a bite to eat. This did not excuse the fact that they were kept in what was "more like a ploughed paddock." Commenting on the droving of sheep, Miss Bell said that the fact that lameness was not preventable was* no excuse for driving sheep on a road when they were lame. Concluding, Miss Bell asked that something should bo done to alter the conditions which she claimed existed at Addington. "A Little Prejudiced" "It seems to me that she is a little prejudiced," said Mr L. J. Taylor, in commenting on the letter. "Her letter is a little too drastic, although she has probably seen cases that are cruel." Mr G. W. Hungerford: If there was too much feed in the accommodation paddocks, then it would be difficult to drove them. I am out at Addington every week, and I have not noticed any cases of this sort. Mr Bridge, in commenting on the accommodation paddocks, said he thought that even though the sheep might be overfed this was no excuse for their being underfed. "There is plenty of feed on the roads," said Mr Hungerford. He stated that he had often driven sheep from Waikari to Addington, and he had not experienced trouble in this way. On the motion of Mr Bridge, it was decided that he and Mr Taylor should visit a stock sale at Addington soon to investigate the position.