PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3945, 30 May 1913, Page 3

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR

AGRICULTURE

As an outcome of the decisions of the Conference of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; recently held in Wellington, the.following resolutions were submitted, by deputation to the Minister for Agriculture. The deputation was well received, and on the whole the Minister’s replies were favorable except as Jo resolution (d) re poison. He agreed with resolutions (a), (b) and (c) and promised to meet the Society as far as possible in those matters. Ho pointed out the difficulties regarding (d). _ It. was .already unlawful to lay poison indiscriminately in the cities. As to (e), he was personally favorable to a subsidy, subject to its being made to >a central executive body for allocation to the various societies. /

Following are the resolutions submitted to the Minister for Agriculture by the deputation; (a) ‘•That the method of slaughtering cattle for human consumption be that of stunning with a

hammer of pot less than "lbs weight as adopted by two of the largest abattoirs of Wellington and at tho Chicago Alcat Works, and that pigs also be stunned before bleeding.” (b) “That the abattoirs or slaugh-ter-houses in the country districts bo standardised as far as possible, so that the cattle about to bo slaughtered will be firmly field.” (cj.“That the Minister for Agriculture be asked to permit the veterinary surgeons in the employ of the Government, to give gratuitous services to the Societies in urgent eases, provided it- does not interfere with their Departmental duties.” (d) “That the Government’s attention be called to' the wide and indicriminato use of poison for tho destruction of animal posts, resulting in the painful and; unwarranted death of valued animals, and that the Government be asked to secure greater supervision of the use of such poisons.”

(o) “That this Conference, believing that it materially contributes to the work of the Police Department in bearing tho cost of prosecutions for tfte perpetration cf cruelty to animals, and in general the work of prevention of cruelty to animals, and seeing that .the Society’s work is one affecting tho whole of the people of the Dominion, and that the Society is wholly dependent upon popular subscriptions for its maintenance, that the New Zealand Government bo asked to afford financial assistance to tliq Branch Societies by a payment cf pound for pound subsidy on the amounts sub sc rite d. ”

A Committee has been set up. to give effect to the resolutions arrived at during the sittings of the Conference, and the various branches will from time to time be advised as to the proceedings of such committee.