WELFARE OF ANIMALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18696, 30 April 1924, Page 10

WELFARE OF ANIMALS.

QUESTION OF NEW SOCIETY. THE ASPECT OF EFFICIENCY, The - matter of the formation of &'neV ; The matter of the formation of a n«vr Society tor the Prevention of Cruelty to .Animals was discussed at some leagth at the annual meeting of the Society for the Protection, of Home aid Children, and', the Prevention, of Cruelty to Animals, last • evening. No actual decision was reached r in the matter, but the president, Dr. R. M. Beattie, made it clear that the committee would not favour a-jy separation of the two branches of lie existing organisation, unless the new society was assured of title financial support which would enable its work to be carried on as efficiently as under the present arrangement. The Rev. P. S. SmalLfield, chairman of the committee, stated that the society was of opinion that the present time was not opportune for such a change. Division of interests would mean two struggling societies in vie place of one. The movement for the separation of the branches must come from without. The matter was touched upon briefly by Miss E. K. Morton, in the course of an address, the speaker expressing the opinion that work, both on behalf of the women and children, and of the animals, could not be advanced as it should bo under existing conditions. Tho claim.-, .oiade on both departments of the society were constantly increasing, and the formation of a new and vigorous society, having as its sole object the welfare of the animals, would enable public interest and sympathy to be centred directly on the work of each separate department In a way that could not be done- under th« present arrangement.

The Hon. Geo. Fowld..: said that S.P.C.A. . work had, in a sense, been forced on the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and if thorn was ft strong feeling on the. part of the public that a separate society should be femed there would be no desire on the pari of the committee .to hinder such a move. Opposition would only come if there were a feeling that the work might not be carried on with the same efficiency as at present. Miss A. Trevithick assured the committee there would be do difficulty with regard to securing honorary secretarial assistance, while it was very probable that influential citizens would be prepared to guarantee the salary of the inspector until the new society was placed in a sound financial position. Auckland was the only city in New Zealand where the two societies were amalgamated, and separation would lead to more effective work and more liberal support of both branches. ... v Dr. Beattie said the. prospect of adequate financial assistance placed the mat* t«:r on a somewhat different footing, as the committee's chief concern was that the work should not, suffer by ar change such as that .proposed. After fuither discussion the matter lapsed.