CRUELTY CHARGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21562, 5 August 1933, Page 16

CRUELTY CHARGES

EFFORT TO KILL CAT ALIVE 24 HOURS LATER FAILURE OF PROSECUTION [nv TELKCiurn —own correspondent] WELLINGTON. Friday The story of a cat which, being left for dead, revived 2-1 hours later, was told in tho Police Court to-day beforo Mr. E. Page, S.M., when William Charles Tanner was charged with cruelly ill-treating a cat. Mr. F. W. < Ongley, who appeared for the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said for about two years Mrs. Spriggs had been feeding and looking after a cat. At about 11 a.m. on July 17 she noticed defendant, who lived next door, striko about six blows with a hammer and then pick np the cat and put it in a bag. The same night defendant put the bag containing the cat into a rubbish-container. Mrs. Spriggs communicated with tho society, and tho following day one of the society's inspectors, in company with defendant, retrieved tho bag containing tho cat. An inspection revealed that tho cat was still alive. Defendant's excuse for killing the cat was that it was diseased. Tho society's' inspector and a veterinary surgeon would say tho cat was not diseased. Evidence along theso lines was given. Mr. Leicester, for defendant, said evidence for tho defenco would show that the cat was uncared for and in a very dirty condition. It also had diseased eyes. Defendant decided to kill tho cat, and, although ho was a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ho was not aware that tho society arranged for the humane killing of cats. Defendant said ho left the cat in the yard until 11 o'clock that night in , order that the society's inspector might see it if ho called. The inspector did not call, and defendant placed the bag containing the cat in an ash-can. On the following day he was as much Burprised as the inspector to find tho cat still alive. Defendant considered the manner in which ho endeavoured to kill tho cat a humane one. , Tho magistrate said ho did not think defendant's action camo within the statute, and tho information was dismissed. HORSES ILL-TREATED LACK OF FOOD AND WATER FINE OF £3 ON DROVER Two charges of 'cruelly ill-treating animals were denied by William Neville, drover,-in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. W. 11. McKean, S.M. Accused was charged that he cruelly illtreated three horses by failing to supply them with sufficient food and water, and with treating six head of cattle and two other horses similarly by failing to give them sufficient food. Mr. J. Hollingsworth, inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he went to a property at Titirangi where accused had the stock. Ono of the horses had been pulled out of a bog. It was unable to stand, and its weak condition was due to lack of food and water. Later an order was obtained for the destruction of the horse. The stock generally was in particularly poor condition, and obviously. underfed. Constable Boag, of New Lynn, said three horses were in a paddock which had no water in it, and was covered with dry stubble.

Accused said the animals wore in good condition with the exception of cne horse, which was ill. This animal had been out in the bush for some months, and was partially blind. The animals had been well fed, however, ahd there was ample water. On the first charge accused was convicted and fined £3 and costs. The second charge was dismissed.