SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8388, 16 October 1890, Page 6

SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held yesterday afternoon at the Chamber of Commerce, when there were present: Bishop Cowie (in the chair), Judge Monro, Dr. Kidd, Sir W. Fox, Messrs. Harrow, J. Burtt, E. Withy, J. Abbott, Captain Webb, and others. Bishop Luck and Archdeacon Dudley wrote apologising for their absence. KKI'ORT. The following annual report was read and adopted :— The committee have much pleasure in presenting to the subscribers the seventh annual report, and in doing so are glad to announce the sound financial condition of the Society, for which satisfactory condition the thanks of the subscribers are due to a staunch friend of the Society, who. with his usual liberality, has contributed the sum of £24. During the past year, although from various causes the help of 38 subscribers lias fallen oft', 119 new subscribers have been added to the roll. The deterrent effects of tho Society, as manifested by the small number of convictions, your committee submit are most satisfactory, and reflect no little credit on the indefatigable exertions of the inspector. It has been justly said that cruelty one of the most odious vices that stigmatise the human race, and when it is practised on those patient inoffensive creatures that can only suffer, without the ability to complain or the power to resist, it becomes as hideous to the consciousness of man as it is offensive to the law of God. Your committee would therefore urge upon all the duty of inculcating in the rising generation habits of kindness and gentleness towards the inferior creation by which they are surrounded. With the aid of the Acclimatisation Society during the past year the indiscriminate destruction of the beautiful sea birds which frequent our shores, has been arrested by making it a penal offence, and it is hoped that the general public will aid in the efforts to put a stop to it. During the past year, at the instance of the Society, a marked improvement lias been made in the city dog kennels (a change which was greatly needed). The approach to the water trough in Syinonds-iireet has also been improved. 15y the accompanying report it will be seen that there have been five prosecutions, resulting in as many convictions. The thanks of the Society are dry to the lion, solicitors, and Messrs. Halstead (lion, veterinary surgeons), and also to the Onehunga branch of the Society for their substantial help during the past year. BALANCE-SHEET. The following balance - sheet was presented and adopted : — Balance-sheet for the year ending September 30tli. 1890.—-Receipts : Annual subscriptions, £141 9s; donations, £24; solicitor's fees, £2 l'2s Gd : total, £168 Is Oil. Payments : Inspector's salary, £150; sundry expenses, including stationery, printing, etc., £17 19s lid; balance, "2s : total, £108 Is (id. Prosecutions and tines : YoukChong, working a horse with sore shoulders after being cautioned, 10s ; Walter Corney, driving 'bus horse with sore shoulders, £1; John Davis, driving 'bus horse with sore shoulders, 10s ; Thomas Givney, maliciously chopping a dog with a hook, '28 days'hard labour; Thomas Bropliy, driving tram horse with sore shoulders, £1. Total tines, £3. All fines are paid to the Government. Cautions given and animals destroyed during the past year: Sore backs, lti ; sore shoulders, 101; lame, 171; horses unfit to work, '22; horses and cattle destroyed, 5; over driving, riding, flogging, and spurring horses, 13: over-loading and overcrowding, 5; girth-galls, 4; cruelty to poultry, 13: total, 350. ' CRUELTY TO BIRDS. Mr. Harrow returned thanks on behalf of the seagulls for the protection extended to them during the past year, and expressed a hope that the Society would see its way to extend the same protection to the kingfishers. Bishop Cowie said he hoped something would be done to prevent the unnecessary shooting of domestic pigeons. He did not know what course they should take, but in England he understood some mechanical contrivance was substituted for the pigeons. After some discussion, it was resolved, " That this meeting desires to call the attentionof thosewho shoot pigeons from traps to the great cruelty of the practice, and expresses a hope that glass-balls, or other mechanical contrivance will be substituted, as is done in other places."

OFFICERS. His Excellency the Governor was reelected patron of the Society, and Sir George Grey, Rev. Dr. Luck, and Rev. 1 Jr. Cowie vicc-j.atrons. .Judge Monro was elected president, and Captain Webb, Professor Brown, Dr. Kidd, Sir William Fox, and Mr. C. .J. Hutchinson vice-presidents. Mr. James Kurtt was re-elected honorary secretary and treasurer. Messrs. ITalstead were re-elected honorary veterinary surgeons to the Society, and Messrs. Thorne, Dufaur, Mahony, anil Earl honorary solicitor.-'. The following gentlemen were elected as an Executive Committee: — Messrs. Harrow, F. Lawry, F. Hull, E. Morton, E. Withy, J. Abbott, .1. E. Baker, and R. Cranwell. Mr. W. fait was reelected auditor. VIVISECTION*. Mr. Abbott spoke eloquently in support of the objects of the society, and denounced what he called vivisection, " to gratify tho lust, of science." Dr. Collins said Mr. Abbott's remarks reflected on the whole medical profession, and he requested him to make his accusations a little more definite. Mr. Abbott declared that rumours of such things had been going about for a long time. Dr. Collins said it was a great pity that such statements should be made in such a wide and sweeping manner. Mr. Abbott said he heard that rabbits were the animals operated upon, and he thought the operator was a gentleman altogether outside the medical profession. VOTES OF THANKS. Vote 3 of thanks were passed to the hon. secretary and treasurer, the hon. solicitors and veterinary surgeons, and to the inspector of the society, for their valuable survices during the past year ; and also, to the Chamber of Commerce, for the use of their room. A vote of thank* to the chairman terminated the proceedings.