LIVE HARE COURSING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20379, 16 October 1940, Page 10

LIVE HARE COURSING

PROHIBITION SOUGHT POLICE OFFENCE ACT OTAGO S.P.C.A. MOVE (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. A decision to make representations to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, to have the Police Offences Act amended so that it would constitute an offence to course hares in an enclosed area, was reached by the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at its monthly meeting yesterday. Communications were received from the Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington. Canterbury, Timaru, Poverty Bay and Waikato Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals commending the action of the Otago society in endeavouring to bring about the prohibition of coursing live hares, and three individual persons, including Mr. C. L. Carr, M.P., president of the Federation of the New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, also wrote upholding the society’s stand. The chairman, Mr. E. C. Reynolds, said that as the Otago society was not affiliated to-the New Zealand federation it could'not forward any representation to the Prime Minister through the federation, but it could ask Mr. Carr, as a private member, to place its request before Mr. Fraser, and other societies could then be advised of the step. Mr. J. C. Willis said that New Zealand lagged far behind Great Britain in the matter of legislation dealing with cruelty to animals. The only laws on the subject in the Dominion consisted of a few clauses in the Police Offences Act. It was decided to ask Mr. Carr to approach the Prime Minister and place ithe society’s request for an amend ment of the Act before him.