The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST.” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1943. The Bobby Calf Traffic

Northern Advocate, 23 July 1943, Page 2

The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST.” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1943. The Bobby Calf Traffic

WEDNESDAY night, as Whangarei citizens, and Northlanders generally, are well aware, was bitterly cold Bobby calves, gathered from a wide area and trucked at the Whangarei railway station that afternoon, spent the night m uncovered trucks. Their plight on such a night was obviously unenviable. The calves were consigned to Moerewa freezing works. , „ ... ~ A regulation of the Railway Department forbids the covering of trucks of bobby calves for a journey of less than 50 miles. As Moerewa is under 44 miles from Whangarei, calves entrained at the local station must travel in open trucks, while calves from Oakleigh station, which is just over 50 miles from Moerewa, may be covered. No doubt this regulation was made with good intentions, but it constitutes an anachronism, for it is not, the length of a journey, but the time unfortunate calves are herded in trucks, that should be the deciding factor. This is a matter which the local S.P.C.A. committee discussed on Wednesday evening, when the opinion was strongly expressed that the regulation should be amended. This opinion is sound. There is little doubt that decision to cover or not to cover trucks should be left to the discretion ol stationmasteis. It would be absurd to suggest that calves should travel in covered trucks during warm, dry weather, but it is absolutely wrong to deny calves protection from the elements when such piotection is clearly needed. We feel that the Railway Department will do what it can to remedy a matter not in accordance with humanitarianism. 1 Though a good deal has been done, largely at the instigation of the S.P.C.A., to improve the bobby calf traffic in Northland, and the majority of farmers and lorry-drivers treat bobby calves with care, there are others who do not do so. It is therefore to be hoped that dairy companies and calf pool authorities will meet in conference to make universal the good example set by some districts. „ . .. The watch which is being kept upon the bobby call traffic is but one of the ways in which the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is playing a beneficent role. There is little doubt that if it were not for the knowledge that the society has a vigilant inspector, and that many of the general public have constituted themselves observation posts and report privately cases of cruelty or cases which may be on the border-line, the lot of dumb creatures would be unhappy in many cases. Burns spoke truly when he said: “The fear of hell’s the hangman’s whip, to hold the wretch in order.” Decent people do not need to fear the whip, for they act as they should act towards their “fellow mortals,” as represented by the birds and animals, but there are unfortunately those who, either because they have no bowels of compassion, or are careless and indifferent, treat animals with cruelty. It is these creatures who require disciplining, and all humanitarians should do what they can to assist the S.P.C.A., which undoubtedly is performing a humanitarian work.