BOBBY CALF INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21319, 21 October 1932, Page 12

BOBBY CALF INDUSTRY

ALLEGATIONS OF CRUELTY CANCELLATION OF LETTER INTERESTS OF THE FARMERS [nv tkTjECiHAPii—own conrkspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH. Thursday The New Plymouth Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has decided to cancel a letter forwarded to the Manchester Guardian for publication emphasising alleged cruellies in the bobby calf industry in New Zealand. The object of tho letter, it was stated, was to draw (ho attention of Homo consumers to tho cruelties of tho industry and so discourage tho trade in bobby calf products, with the ultimate aim of wiping out tho industry and so stopping the alleged cruellies. At the last meeting of the North Taranaki Farmers' Union exception was taken to tho action of tho society, and tho president of tho union, Mr. 11. E. Blyde, was appointed to confer with tho society in an endeavour to havo tho publication of the letter, which had already been sent, suppressed. Mr. Blyde attended a meeting of tho society and outlined tho caso of tho farmers in defence of tho bobby calf industry. Ho said that cruelties had been reduced to a minimum and that if tho letter sent were published in England grave harm might bo dons to tho industry and to tho farming community as a whole. On behalf of the Farmers' Union ho requested that immediate steps bo taken to prevent tho publication of the letter. Members of the society, Archdeacon F. G. Evans and Mr. A. Grace, also spolco against the publication of tho letter in England, expressing tho opinion that tho society was endeavouring in tho wrong way to put a stop to tho cruelties. An attempt should bo made to bring all connected with tho industry to a sense of right and to alleviate cruelties in this manner. Tho publication of tho letter might injure an industry which had been of great benefit to the farmer. Tho Government veterinarian for the district, Mr. R. B. Wood, outlined tho way in which bobby calves wero handled at slaughtering houses. lie paid a tribute to tho work of tho society's inspector, Mr. B. Tippins, who, during tho past five years, had reduced the cruelties of tho bobby calf industry almost to a minimum. The main difficulty remaining was that a few farmers would persist in placing olives in pens before they were required, three days old. If this requirement were fulfilled and calves, both by train and motor, were brought to the works as expeditiously as possible, there would bo no cruelty. This concluded the discussion, and on the resolution being put to tho meeting it was decided that a cablegram bo sent to the Manchester Guardian requesting the suppression of tho society's letter.