PREVENTION OF CRUELTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16214, 27 April 1916, Page 10

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY.

. SOCIETY'S ANNUAL REPORT. The report which will be presented this afternoon at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children and Prevention , of Cruelty to Animals expresses regret at ,the loss of two active members of the committee by Consignor Brodie, who has been translated to Christchurch as Roman Catholic Bishop, and the Rev. A. C. Lawry, who has also removed to Chriskhurch. The society's operations have been considerably increased, and its efforts towards prevention of cruelty to animals have been conducted in an everwidening sphere. It is very evident that nj great period can elapse before it will Ifc necessary to appoint another inspector. '<■- The Ladles' Committee, which may in many ways bo looked upon as the backlone' of the. society, has not this year provided it directly with any funds, its members having been fully occupied in various patriotic movements. In the women and children's depart- . ment the cases dealt with were :— Troubles between husband and wife, 75; cruelty to children, 41 parents against children for support, 3; affiliation case?, 19; various . matters, 19; old cases re- ' dealt with, 44: total, 201, as against 176 in 1915. Thirty cases were taken to Court. Of these orders were granted in •20 Three cases of disobedience to old orders were successful. Three cases were withdrawn at the request of complainants; tliree were adjourned sine die, and one case dismissed. . ,w, . . •' • .• 'j, Under thfi heading the prevention ', of cruelty to\Vtnim'tJs 'details are given of the grounds of prosecutions successfully - undertaken during the year for ' tha Ifol- ' Jiwing .offences -.—Failing to provide sufficient food for horses; working lame '(torses; working horses with.sore back; beating a horse with butt end of whip; working a horse with sore shoulder; causing a horse to be worked when unfit; beating a horse on the head; worrying a goose, .with - a' dog; overloading two horses; wounding a , cow; heating an overdriven: horse; .failing to provide food for ,a dog; * failing ;to , supply food and water; overcrowding bullocks in transit; cruelty to a bullock; throwing hot water a dog;' 5 tying.', pigs by. * the' legs; • failing .to stpply water to horses. The fines and costs" recovered amounted to £131 26s 6d, as against £78 6s 6d last year. Out; of 54 cases taken )to Court only'four'were-lost. "ii'V'V'.'..;.'• .• % Cautions [ were : given. in "300 - cases of working horses lame, .unfit,, beating, overloading 165 of working horses with sore ; shoulders and sore backs; 36 of working horses with girth galls and chain wounds, kicking, etc.; ,49 of horses, etc., with not enough food and water; 18 of deer, monkeys, and dogs having no shelter; 60 of fowls and songbirds not provided with enough food and water, overcrowded, and conveyed improperly; 4 of excessive spurring: 32 of overcrowding stock"and tying pigs by the legs; a total of 664 warnings., Tho society has' been the means of obtaining four new water troughs for horses and cattle. The number of animals destroyed humanely was 145. Taking the number of prosecutions and the number of animals destroyed, there were 863 cases dealt with iii 12 month's by one inspector. .f Apain this year the society has beer, enabled .to carry -on its work without abridgement, notwithstanding the "hard times," by reason of ita investments, which . have. brought in over _ £120 i'or interest. The Government again gave a grant of £75.' The irabscrintious, which last year amounted to £271, amounted this year to £293. A legacy of £100 has been received from the representatives of the late Sirs. H. N. Jones. / " .