SHOCKING BARBARITY.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 57, 10 March 1881, Page 3

SHOCKING BARBARITY.

♦ TO THE EDITOR OV THE EVENING POST. Sir— l presume that legislation for tho prevention of cruelty to animals does not extend to fish, otherwise a case that occurred on the wharf on Wednesday last should have been brought under the notice of the authorities. An elderly man caught a moderatesized kawai, and to the astonishment as well aa disgust of the onlookers at once proceeded to clean it, whilst still alive, for cooking. He first deliberately scraped the scales off the struggling creature, then slowly cut off the fins with a blunt knife, the fish writhing in agony during the operation, especially when its brutal captor waa hacking off the dorsal fin, which is strong and bony. After occupying some time in this barbarous manner, he then, the unfortunate fish being still vigorous, disembowelled it — the only merciful part of the procedure, as its death followed quickly. Even after this sensation seemed to last a minute or two, as motion did not cease in it for that time. May I ask yon is such cruelty permitted, even to fishes ? Surely some punishment might be deservedly meted out to such brutal fishermen. 1 might mention that in the old country Borne thirty years ago it was customary in some cases to "crimp" Balmon, which was to cut gashea in the sidea of the living fish when caught, it being supposed that the operation gave the flesh a better flavor. This waa put a stop to by the British Legislature, though its barbarity was not nearly equal to that of the human brute whose acts I have above described. I am, &c, Humanitas.