Man convicted of cruelty to cows

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 18

Man convicted of cruelty to cows

GV.Z. Press Association) | HAMILTON, Oct. 16. A Motumaoho farmer was convicted in the Morrinsville Magistrate’s Court today on charges of cruelly ill-treating cows and wanton neglect of cows. Alan Douglas Cowen, aged ' 36, had pleaded not guilty to j cruelly ill-treating 40 cows by j docking their tails with prun-', ing shears, wanton neglect of! (

four cows which suffocated in mud, and wilful commission of an act of aggravated cruelty to four cows by causing them to suffocate. The latter charge was dismissed. Mr E. S. Tuckwell, S.M., said that in imposing fines he was taking into account Cowen’s financial position. Because of the dismissal of the Court of Appeal of a similar case, Cowen may have been under the impression that he could not be charged with cruelty for docking cows’ tails, but the Court of Appeal had made it clear that its decision applied only to a particular case. On the first charge Cowen was not fined, but was ordered to pay $5 court costs. $2O solicitor’s fees, and witnesses’ expenses. On the second charge, he was fined $5O. and ordered to pay ss' court costs. $2O solicitor's: fees, and witnesses’ expenses.