KITTENS IN BOX FOR 12 DAYS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27201, 19 November 1953, Page 13

KITTENS IN BOX FOR 12 DAYS

WHANGAREI FARMER FINED £3 "The Press" Special Service WHANGAREI, November 18. Two kittens in a 201 b tomato case, too small for them to stand in, travelled from Kawakawa to Whangarei by bus recently. Twelve days later they were found by the bus terminal staff thin and weak. At Kawakawa Mr J. R. Herd, S.M., fined Hector George McDonald, a farmer, of Whangarei £3. McDonald did not appear to answer a charge of having sent the kittens knowing that the person to whom they were addressed did not exist, thus causing unnecessary suffering. A Whangarei railway clerk said the box was addressed to “Miss Bradshaw, Whangarei.’* Staff members telephoned every Bradshaw in the directory, but none were expecting anything by bus. It was assumed that the case contained fruit or vegetables. Eventually it was opened because of the odour. Police witnesses said McDonald claimed that “Miss Bradshaw’’ lived four miles up the river from Whangarei and that he had written to her “a good while back.” The Magistrate said the Incident was most regrettable. The Railway Department had evidently made a slip, as the waybill should have described the contents of the box.