CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 235, 27 June 1908, Page 10

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

S.P.C;A. REQUESTS.

LEGAL STATUS.—HUMANE METHODS OF SLAUGHTERING. , , Yostorday morning a deputation from tho .• Donforenco of tho Societies for tho Proven- • -,iion:of Cruelty to Animals waited upon tho Minister • for Agriculture (tho Hon. R. U'Nab). Mi. AV. F. Inder (Goro), who headed tho .. '-■. deputation, said that they'felt the -time had irnvod for legislation to assist thorn in their nork. At present,, thero was only .ono sec- -. tion in.the Polico Offonces Act under which <.;■ they had any powors at all. 'They felt thoy . nould have 1 tho sympathy 'of tho Govorn- ■:■'.*,.■: ment, but thoy had approached the Minister to sco if the present, session would bo a suit--v./.r.r■/. abio timo to introduco legislation, or whether s ; .v; tliey should wait.i Mr. W. H. Zouch (mspec- . j ■ ~tor -,of tho -Society ■at-. Chnstchurch) had a Bill prepared and ready to: bo introduced if r. -tho tinio was opportuno. ■ Tho prosent sys- : torn of slaughtering was brutal. 1 Could tho ... necessary! regulations be made ,by tlio Gov- ... .ernmont to render, tho methods ,of slaughter--■i:\-j-. ; •( ing animals more humane?-. Tho deputation would also like tho,Minister to submit what ;said to^ftli^rospohsiblo.;offic(OT';-of tho' Department, who should see. if- thoro wero ■■.' : . not more.humane:systems : than were at pre- , sent in voguo ? i Thoro was no doubt that an' unnecessary amount, of cruelty took place; i- in tho transit of. animals, - and they - askod ,-:v:.- , :' , :' ; '-'that'''tho-.st6bk:-inspefct6r bo : given, power to . inspect animals on the trains, and: sco that vjfc-i.'" '-no cruelty was; 'allowed. l , Tnore; -.was ' also; . tho. matter of the Railway Department fail- : v ing to mako adequate provision in/tho way of dog ; boxes. -: Pet/ collies','. sheep dogs, l . cattle ; ' dogs, retrievers, and others were bundled . ' all together ;n ono box, and when.they camo ~: .out they wero often manglbd. Mr. Inder also introduced As'a. society. • they would havo ;notlnng to do .with hues. ; , Their work: waa a labour: of love, and tlio "-'/"/ only 'remuneration ,'drawn; was-tho salary 'of; •. . the inspectors, which was very small. Tlio • Society did. tho'.work, .practically,of tho ■;>■■■■" -police, collecting -ovidonco for them, and ar- -.- , p -/ranging.: everything for , the Court'. •- This . - saved the country considerable expense. Thoy thought thoy woro . entitled to a subsidy.. During i tho yoar their coffers had reqoivod' £130 from Auckland, and another £150 from —. the rest'of tho .jDominion. .. •'>,, f /V w' : . ' Sir. J. ;H. Parker (Christchurch) referred ;i to tho method-of slaughtering animals •by .-. .'"pithing,":which lie. described.as oruol^ ■ • caso was known where a beast was struck 16 - ... - times before it was .killed.ln tlio' pithing ' .■ : .- process; tho spinal cord was not- always, sov- ; ; • ~ 'er'ed as was. supposed.' ', Tho Society advised -3tho ■" stunning " process. .-.This was the:mo3t ■ humano process, and was also the, most adv- -visable from a '' good moat ■" point of view. ~ ; Mr. W. H. Zouch; (Inspector at Christchurch)' said there existed, no -legislation in ■ New. Zealand dealing with the transit of ani- ,. '• '' "mals .at sea. A captain could tako an ani-' ■ mal :on 'board , his . ship, and was not obligod - • - -to 1 supply it with .food'and-water. : '-Out of v ' 1350 Bneop - shipped to Lyttolton from 'tlio ■ Chathams, '186 were 'lost, and* from 10 to 15

died .on their way ftp\ the Addington yards. Sometimes animals' landed from Wanganui at Lyttelton, dropped down in the .'railway trucks, and when tliey got to Addington thoy had to be slaughtered. Ho referred to the difficulty of getting", prosecutions owing to tlio non-recognition—legally—of thb societies, and tlioy.ofton did not know how they would faro in a'case untirthoy saw who the magistrate was. :.English Acts availed thom nothing.;,;,: State ' practically had legislation giving'theicruclty prevention societies legal footing-and funds. Tho'lato Primo Ministor had|.onco had £200 placed on the.-; Estimates; for; tho Society, but it had never been received. i . -. THE MINISTER SYMPATHETIC. '' " I do. not ; regret tho/timq you liavo taken up. in 'submitting this, matter to -me," said the Minister m reply. In_ tho continuous round of a':Ministor's'work it was in opportunities like'this" that'ono could find out tho 'H'antipf'.legislatipn in:cortain directions., Tho doputatiori/ had 'asked whether, tho present would bo a'suitahlo opportunity, to introduco legislation. 1 : It' would .be impossible for him. to bring in legislation .'as Minister for Agriculture, ,'dn account."'of the prossuro of work, : togother-with tho-goneral feeling among mem■bers, and .in - the ..country, that tho session should ho short. : But if'tho deputation had a Bill drafted on legislation in other countries to put in the hands of members lie would do his best to get the House to 'accept it, and ho could give ,his : promise that if tho legislation; was, brought. down and' applica- ■ .tiori made-.for.the: Bill to bo referred to the Agricultural'-and ■ Stock Committco to -. got evidence - to - : .showj. tho: necessity '-for- it,' and to obtain suggestions as to any amendments, ho would do-his best to assist them. Probably a report in connection with the evidence obtained would supply .tho ]best suggestions on i which to baso tho legislation- for noxt year... It was '.too lato this session to. got all/.tho But 'thero was -nothing-'to prevent them.-. introducing tho.Bill as a private ono,-and lie would givo all. assistance'possible; : The allegations of cruelty. 611 ships and railway's ho .would i refer to tho' officers; of/ his-'Dopartmorit,' to bo reported upon in detail.- 7 As tb slaughtering methods. ■Ilo.' would- convoy' what :had ;becn\ said,_ and ,tho, literaturo <.handed.' in,', to'-:tho .'-veterinary officers; and- have"' a'report ' prepared - as to whether it -would' bo > advisable:'to 1 havo ; one system- for - thbwhole -Dominion. . Ho had not :had an oppoyti'mity of thinking over, the (jucstioii of a subsidy.- ■ Such a subsidy would come .through the -Department of tho .Minister for; Justice or ;tho Minister for. Internal •Affairs, ■"■ Ho would see if ho could -'make any .recommendations to his colleagues.'THE CONFERENCE CONCLUDED.) -• \The'-'conferenco..of delegate;; of tho Society for.'the.Prevention of,. Cruelty .to Animals was .contiriued'yesterday' afternoon._ V ' It was resolvbd'that tli6 question Of iritro-. dubing' tho Bill'' for, tho ,bettor provontion of cruelty.'to ...animals be,left: in the''hands- of of\tlie Canterbury Society,'.'. ". . ' . The following resolution.was, also passed ".That this meeting of 'delegates .views with .apathy displayed by the clergy in'; gerioral' in supporting", tho. objects of tho. Society.". Several of'the delegates spoko

very strongly _ oil this resolution, and considered that it should bo urged upon tho various churches throughout the Dominion to preach special sermons on the subject of cruelty to . animals, on a particular Sunday in each year, as is dono 111 England., At Homo this day is knovn as " Animal Sunday." , r ; ; . Mr. Parker referred to tlio subject of logacies left by wealthy neoplc for tlio furtherance of tho causo of dumb animals. The meeting closed with votes of thanks to. tho chairman, tho secretary, Mr. Zouch on behalf of tho Canterbury Society for inaugurating the conference, and to the Wellington Society for providing them with a room.