CARTING BOBBY CALVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21912, 22 September 1934, Page 12

CARTING BOBBY CALVES

AN OVERLOADED LORRY • THREE ANIMALS FOUND DEAD PENALTY OF £lO IMPOSED [BY TELEGRAI'H OWN" CORRESPONDENT] DAHGAVILI/E. Friday A case of considerable interest to carriers of livestock, more especially bobby calves, was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr. G. N. Morris, S.M., when Leslie George McCullv (Mr. Gibson), pleaded guilty to a charge of overloading a lorry with bobby calves. Sergeant C. C. Dunford said the offence occurred on August 13. Defendant was observed at Tangowahinn railway station to which he was carting calves. At that time there were 62 calves on the lorry, of which the ordinary capacity was 30. When defendant's attention was drawn to the plight of the calves ho lost no time in unloading them, but three were found dead. A warning had previously been issued to defendant. The frankness of his client in admitting the charge was a point to bo considered, said Mr. Gibson, speaking for defendant. Further, McCully had not realised the condition of the calves until unloading was commenced, and then ho had proceeded to take tho calves out of tho lorry as quickly as possible. It was defendant's first offence.

"I cannot be expected to take a lenient view of this case," said the magistrate. "When defendant admits his carrying capacity is 30 calves it may be taken that that is the reasonable capacity of the lorry, but he has carried more than double that figure. While it is true that it is difficult under present conditions to make the trade pay we cannot countenance profits being made at th 9 expense of the calves.

"From all appearance the animals concerned here were treated as though they were so many carcases. Defendant will be fined £lO with costs 10s."