SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 745, 11 June 1886, Page 29

SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The Executive of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals met on Monday afternoon. There were present Messrs Pynsent (in the chair), J. C. Harris, G. Baker, junr., C. Richmond, Rev W. H. West, Rev H. Van Staveren, and the Rev. J. K. Elliott. The Secretary (Mr R. C. Bulkley) said it had been suggested at tbe last meeting by one of the gentlemen present that the Society be wound up, and an advertisement inserted in tbe papers to that effect. Mr Bulkley explained that he had thought the matter over, and had spoken to one or two members of the Committee, who agreed that it would be better first to lay the matter before a general committee meeting. That was why the meeting was called. Since the last meeting work had been done. Half a dozen cases of cruelty had been reported, and he had at once cautioned the offending parties, with the result that in most cases the cruelty had been discontinued. In one case a man had been proceeded against, and had been fined 5s for the offence. The Rev Mr Oliver wrote asking to be relieved of his duties as a committeeman, his duties being too heavy to allow him to attend to the work. Mr J. C. Harris said the Secretary brought the proposition to wind the Society up under his notice, and he certainly thought that it would not have been legal to put such a notice in the paper as was proposed. . Moreover, it was altogether against his opinion. (Hear, hear.) They were not doing much, but they did not know the day when they might be called together to reinstate the Society. At any rate, they were in existence ; and it was very much easier to destroy than to build up. The Committee, so long as it was in existence, was an executive, ready for any occasion. RevMr Van Staveren said he wasthemember who had made the suggestion. He saw how little enthusiasm was being displayed, aud he thought it would be far better to call the members together, and see whether they were going to show more enthusiasm. What they had been doing was simply nonsense. However, be was glad to see at the meeting a number of gentlemen who had always taken a deep interest in the work.

Mr Richmond supposed there really was a necessity for the Society ; but on the other hand he must say that there was a lack of sympathy on the part of the public that was almost incredible. There was a necessity, however, for an executive to deal with any cases that might arise, and he would deprecate disintegration so long as they were really doing good. He suggested that the hour of meeting was an inconvenient one, and should be altered.

Mr Baker agreed with the remarks of the previous speaker. Mr Pynsent suggested that the Society without an Inspector was like Hamlet without the Prince. The Secretary explained that Mr Tait was still assisting the Society. The question of winding up the Society was then allowed to drop. On the motion of Mr Richmond, it was decided that in future the Secretary should

call the together whenever he found occasion to do so. The name of Mr W. H. Dobson was added to the Committee, on the motion of Mr Baker. .