CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Evening Star, Issue 17279, 18 February 1920, Page 8

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING. The thirty-eighth annual meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Sir George Fenwick presided, and there were over 20 members present.

The annual report, of which we have already printed a summary., showed a decrease in the number of cases, there being 95 cases reported upon during the year, as against 101 for 1918, 117 in 1917. 115 in 1916. Eight cases were abandoned for lack of evidence, and 48 complaints were investigated and dealt with bv the inspector to the full satisfaction of the committee. Four persons were prosecuted and convicted, 35 were cautioned for various offences, while eight horses, one cow, and three dogs were destroyed. The number of members is 1,570, as against 1,269 last year—a highly satisfactory result, due to the tact, energy, and perseverance of the inspector. The balance-sheet showed a healthy financial position, the surplus assets amounting to £2,323 15s 7d. Sir George Fenwick moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. He referred to the amendment of the Police Offences Act last session. The amendment of the Act tad been made on the recom mendation of the societies, but, although tile committee bad forwarded many suggestions, he regretted £tcv had not been embodied in the new legislation. Among the proposals made by the society for legislation were the removal of rabbits from ».raps within a reasonable lime; that for poisoning animals the poison used have the speediest possible action; that the most humane system of slaughtering animals be adopted ; that live pigeon shooting from traps be prohibited; that burning for lampas be made illegal; and that chaining boundary dogs without adequate exercise, shelter, and water should also be prohibited. Sir George admitted that in some of these cases there were difficulties in putting them into the Act; but, in his opinion, some of the specific recommendations made should have been adopted. Ho regretted to say that bad not been done. He referred with satisfaction to the measure of success which had attended the society's attempts to prevent the wholesale destruction of penguins on Macquarie Islands. The work of the society had gone on smoothly and steadily. The inspector (Mr J. Craig) was an exceedingly valuable man and a highly capable officer. The membership had substantially increased, and everything was in a satisfactory condition. (Applause.) The Rev. M. Diamond seconded' the jnoticn, and after Mr H. H. S. White had 3emmended the society’s work it was unanimously carried. The following officers were elected : dent, Sir George Fenwick; vice-presidents —Rev. W. Saunders, Messrs Crosby Morris Patrons,-Lord and Lady Liverpool; presiand D. D. Snowball; committee—Mesdames Edwards and Porteous, Miss Porteous, the Mayor (Mr W. Begg), Rev. M. Diamond, Messrs A. Kilpatrick, W. F. Sligo, T. Elliott, P. Johnstone, J. Brown. S. P. Leith, D. M’Lennan (Heriot), B. J. Faitt (Gore), L. Orbell (Pukeuri), and P. Briscoe (Waitati); solicitors—Messrs Calvert and Brngh, Hislop and Lang. J. M. Paterson, W. L. Moore, A. C. Hanlon, W. C. MacGregor, C. G. White, A. G. Neill, B. S. Irwin, J. S. Sinclair, J. C. Stephens, S. Solomon, A. S. Adams, and B. S. Irwin (Dunedin), D. M. Cochrane (Gore), C. E. Davey (Wvndham), J. Walsh (Winton), W. Y. H. Hall, F. G. HallJdnes, Longuet and Robertson, Russell, Son, and Meredith, Y. Raines, Stout and Lillicrap, W. J. Tail; J. L. Watson, and Macalister Bros. (Invercargill), W. S. Hunter (Riverton), D. Stewart and R. R. Qrigor (Balclutha), A. G. Creagh, P. 0. Hjorring, E. P. Lee, and H. Newton (Oamaru), R. C. Moore, (Lawrence), W. A. Bodkin (Alexandra), A. M. Broderick (Cromwell), D. Reid, R. M. Rutherford, and G. H. Thomson (Milton). W. C. Arkle (Palmerston). J. A. Moyle' (Heriot), D. t- Poppelwell, E. R. Bowler, G. C. Smith, and W. B. Johnston (Gore), J. Fraser (Naseby), and H. 0. Haggitt (Port Chal mers); hon. veterinary surgeons—Messrs W. I). Snowball and "W. D. Blair (Dunedin), J. Danskin (Balclutha), Thos. Cunningham (Oamaru), H. E. Elphick (Gore), J. Miller (Invercargill), and D. Marshall (Balclutha); hon. treasurer, Mr W. F. Sbgo; auditors, Messrs W. Brown and Co.