CRUEL CHINESE CUSTOM

Evening Star, Issue 20636, 8 November 1930, Page 12

CRUEL CHINESE CUSTOM

CLOSE CONFINEMENT OF CATS [Peb United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 7. An old custom in China is to confine cats to cages during the time the crops are being planted, according to Ah Wong who appeared in the Police Court’ to-dav charged with ill-treating two cats by confining them to two small ° cannot import cruel customs from China into this country,” said the magistrate (Mr W. 11. Woodward) in imposing a fino of £4. James Henry, inspector to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said that on October 28 he visited the premises of Ah Wong at 154 Taranaki street. Ho saw two cats each in a case measuring 20in by lOin by 15in. The cases were too small to allow of the animals turning around without twisting their bodies. Ah Wong had said ho had to keep the cats in the cases, as ho had some young plants growing in the yard and the cats would scratch them out. He admitted that the animals had been fastened up in the cases for two weeks, but the information given witness was two months. The cats were wild to get out, and had snapped and scratched at witness’s hand. ' Ah Wong, through an interpreter, said he valued the cats, and as he had wanted to keep them he had put them in cases during the planting season. Ho did not look upon it as ill-treat-ment. The cats continually scratched out his seeds. He was satisfied they had sufficient room in which to turn. The magistrate said ho was not.