CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17284, 27 September 1916, Page 9

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

.CANTERBURY SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting' of tiie Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to held jn the Y.M.C.A. last night, Mr J. H. Howell presiding over an attendance of about twenty members.

The -report stated .that the question .of keeping tho Ardmals Home open for boarder cats and dogs had bean, under review for the pasc two yea.s, aa tne wo.k envauta on '.xie inspector hod been encaoachuag on his time, ana jt was recognised tnat Jus ttu.ues. outside could not be satisfactorily performed. Several attempts had been mado to run tho home with an assistant, but without success. It was ako recognised that the home was not in a suitable .oca.ity, end after review* ing tho position the committee•had come to the conclusion, that only stray animals should

be taken in, or those brought in. for injuries requiring urgent aid, and,'that theiihoinc should be closed for boarddr oats and o.AgS. Wnile no direct appeal had been made on behalf of the Blue Cross Fund, the committee, .with the assistance of friends, had been enabled to send £37 9a Od to mark its appreciation of the work. The society had been compelled to lake several flagrant cases of orueity to Court with the object of punishing 1 , and es <m example to others. The committee was pleased to report that there had been e. considerable decrease in cases of cruelty. During the year several instances of dogs being poisoned were brought undpr notice, Although « reward for information had been offered, tho committee regretted that the culprit still remained unpunished. The use of an instrument for starting race-

horses was brought under the society's notice, and tho committee was pleased to report that action taken had helped to "stop the, use o£ the instrument. The report : made a strong appeal to stock owners and others sending cattle long journeys by rail not to overcrowd tliem in the trucks. The ihanks of the society were due to tho numerous friends in the," town and country for their assistance nnu their liberal donations. The committee placed on record the valuable services of Mr Trusttum, treasurer" who had now completed 1 eight years in that office In conclusion the committee wished to express again its appreciation of tho good work done by its inspector, who had taken » very keen -interest in his work: ,-"."'..

1 The inspector (Mr B. Weir) reported that during the past, year there had been a conadorable decrease ;n oases ot cruelty reporteu and inquired into. During the pest.. twelvo months 155 dog boarders, and 117 .cat boardors, and 107 Etrcy dogs and 57 stray cats had been adini'tod to tlie borne. -The outstanding accounts due and owing the aome •now amounted to £lO 14s Sa. xnc- ropyi'i sent out an abstract of cautions administered for oruelty during the year. The totaia were as follow: —For horse* 100, oows 17, calve 3 17, store cattle 19, sheep 92, fowls H, dogs 11, cats 9 and birds 2. The number ot unoiass.ried complaints attended 'to v/as eight. The following ar.imals had. been huiiiAnely destroyed :—Eighteen libites, i cows, 8 sheep, 75 dogs and G 7 catf. The balance-sheet, for the year showed the receipts, including balance to August 31, 1915, amounting to £33 lis 2d, to have, been £582 4s lid, the principal items being interest from Mrs Townend's estate £2S7 3s 7d, interest deposit £l4 6s, subscriptions £123 7s, receipts from Animals' Homo sd, •iind subscription?' for Blue Cross Fund £33 4» Od. Ths expenditure, including amount invested at call £IOO, payment to Blue Cross Fund £32 4s 9d, and expenses £l2O 8s 3d, amounted to £483 14s Gd, leaving a. credit balance of £9B 10a 53,. less liabilities £3O 18s 3d. The Animals' Home account showed receipts amounting to £IOO 32s 3d and an expenditure of £l2O 85..8d.-_. The chairman, in moving the adoption °* the report and balance-sliest, said that many members of the society would' regret that the Animals' Home had to be ..abandoned, but he thought that it would not be very difficult t 6 get in touch "with persons who would undertake the work of looking after the animal ß - He suggested that the society should approach the editor'of the" School Journal" -with a view of obtaining h.ia assistance in having articles published in the journal in regard to 'the treatment - of animals, so that children would be rightly instructed .on the matter. Mr H. P. Bridge said ho objected to the portion of the report which stated that the home -was not in a suitable locality. He moved that the words should bo deleted, from tho report. After several present had spoken on the matter the motion was put and \vss lost.The report and balance-sheet were then j adopted. ' i Oificeis were ckcted as follow: -rPatrons, their Excellencier- Lord and Lady Liverpool; lady'- president,' Mrs Murray-Aynsley: vicepresidents, Bishop Julius, Bishop " Brodic, the Hon G. W. Russell. Sir Charles Bcwen, the Hon K. H. Rhodes, the Mayor of Christchurch. Dr Thactar, M.P., and Messrs H. G Ell, M.P.. L. M. Isitt, U.P., J. 11. Howell. and G. Wells; committee, Miss Mac ray, Mesdamcs A. E. Turner, 13. .Cross.and Atkinson, and Messrs T. C. Field, D. B. M'Larwi, J. C. Lord, J: Spiiler. J. W. Watson. J. A. Parker, F. Mo-rne, C. G. -M hellar W. J. Trusttum, J. S. Atkinson. H. P. Bridge?. | H G. Wctke feud E. A. Dobbie; honorary solicitors. Messrs Dougall and- VP hiUl i (Christch'urch)', ilessrs Duncan. Cottenll and Co (Christohurch). Messrs Hclmoro and' Van Asch (for Rangiora and Oxford), Mr Papprill aOiianoi). Mi- C. W. Purnell |m Ashburton and Mid-Canterbury); honorary secretary, Mt J. «. Atkiiispn: honorary treasurer, iir W. J. Trusttum; honorary auditor. M* n. II." Cheesman. F.R.A.; inspector, Mr K. hWeir; collector. Mrs E. Cross.