HORSE ON CONCRETE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20668, 13 September 1930, Page 15

HORSE ON CONCRETE.

CRUEL TO GALLOP ANIMAL.

PROSECUTION OF DRIVER.

MAGISTRATE IMPOSES FINE.

"To gallop a liorsq on a concrete road is cruel," said Mr. F. K. ilunt, S.M., in tho Police Court yesterday in fining Jack Wilson, dealer, £3 for over-driving a horse on tho Great South lload on Juno 19. A further charge of cruelly beating the horso was dismissed.

Harold Crichton, tramway conductor, said ho was on a car at tho Great South Koad terminus and saw two mon in a vegetable cart travelling at a very fast speed. Wilson was hitting the horso with a strap and the cart was zig-zagging all over tho road. Tho cart proceeded in this manner in front of tho tramcar for a little over a mile. When questioned about tho condition of tho horso witness said tho animal was "going for its life and did not have time to look distressed."

The niotorman, David Frost, said Wilson was driving tho horso in a furious manner. Ho flogged tho horso tho whole distance and by zig-zagging ho considerably hampered other traffic. Witness estimated the speed at 15 or 16 miles an hour and said the driving was so erratic that ho did not dare pass tho cart. Evidence of having stopped tho cart in Broadway, Newmarket, was given by Constablo Hendren. Witness said there was no light on the cart and the horse was in a very distressed stato. Wilson refused to drive to the police station so witness took the reins. On tho way, however, Wilson disappeared, leaving the horse and cart with witness.

Wilson, in evidence, said the horso was not galloping and was in a fresh condition. lie could not account for the attention of other people being attracted. Witness left tho constable as ho thought lie was going to be arrested. Detective-Sergeant Kelly: I suppose the reason you cleared out was on account of your previous visits here? Witness: It may have been.

"I am going to convict him on the charge of over-driving the horse," said the magistrate. '"They had too much liquor; that was tho trouble. To gallop a horse on a concreto road is cruel."