CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 57

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

A number of cases of cruelty to animals —brought at the instance of Frederick Seed, inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals—were heard on the 13th instant by a Bench of Justices comprising Messrs James W. Henderson, A. R. Hislop and Peter Hutson. Mr A. R. Atkinson appeared on behalf of the society. Henry Inniss was charged with having ill-treated a horse on the 7th January of this year. Inspector Seed deposed that he saw an employee of defendant driving a mare suffering from swollen tendons. It was lame, and evidently suffering from o\ erwork. Interviewed a son of defendant a.t the stable next day. The som told him that the mare had been sent to the Taita, and that it suffered from corns. Cross-examined by defendant, the inspector admitted that he did not interview defendant abuot the mare. Saw no sores about the mare. Had never found sore® oa any of defendant’s horses. Charles Crawford deposed that in his opinion the mare in question was foundered. Constable Collett gave evidence that the mar© was unfit for work. A. E. Flannigfin, a driver, said he had seen the mare referred to for many months. He was *of %)inion that it was not foundered. The mare might have, gone over in the knees. That' sometimes . suited from strain. Did pot see mare on the day in question; had not seen it for a week. George Inniss; a son of defendant, said the horse was stiff in a-front leg and suffering from corns. J. McCaughev, a blacksmith, said the ’ had shod the horse in question. It was “over in the knees,” and suffering from corns. It hwl not the appearance of being over-worked. On the 27th December it was a bit stiff, but he did not see it limping. “Going over oil the knees” would riot cause pain to a horse. Arthur Smith deposed that he was driving the mare on the day to which Mr Seed referred. The latter told him to take the mqjtf home; and he did so. Charles John Reeks, veterinary surgeon, said it was impossible for anyone but an txpert to tell if a' horse, was , “fcifndered” by its appearance, in the street; an expert might tell. It was not impossible for a horse to be lame , from corns even a few days after hay- ]• ing been shod. A com in a horse was a bruise to the sensitive tissue qf the foot,’ situated below the horn. It was] the pain of corns which induced lameness. Henry the defendant, said the mare had been suffering frora corns for many months’. It ,was not ) lame when it left the stable in the morning. To Mr Atkinson:. Mr See# ne\er told witness he wished, to havQ the mare examined by a veterinary geon. No one told him that. A fine oT. 10s, and, costs 4 (18s) vv as. Inflicted. 0 , Mr r Atkinson applied for solicitor’s, fee, but ] the bench disallowed the application. . ~

James B. Dalton, owner of a horse which had been driven from the Upper Hutt to Wellington while in a state of incapacity from old age, was charged with cruelty. Mr Seed deposed that he inspected the horse and found it absolutely unfit to be let live. It was toothless and worn out. The Government.] Veterinarian gave a certificate and then a Justice of the Peace gave an order, ■ for the horse’s destruction. The. defendant was fined £2 and costs (18s).; -it At the instance of Charles Crawford, George Hunt was charged with illtreat--t ing a horse which ; He had hired frohfli; complainant. Evidence was given, that defendant had been stuck up by the>. horse, and had thereupon beaten'it, al-] legedly in a cruel manner, about the flanks. Defendant alleged that the horse was a “jib’' and suffering: from sores; He had only bad it a week, anil it was cut about and sore when he gqAiti from complainant. Frederick Seed! gave' evidence that he .inspected? .the. horse; It had been: bleeding from the] flanks as a result of whipping; -and it was in alow condition.■"••Witness/;hadpro?: viously cautioned the defendant about ill-; using horses. Defendant called two witnesses to state that the hors© was in a bad condition when Crawford handed it over. The Chairman said’ the Bench had decided to send • defendant* to prison, for fourteen days. Defendant asked to be allowed- a short, time in which to make provision for the. maintenance of his wife and family, and the solicitor for the prosecution (Mr R. B. Williams) asked that the Bench take a more lenient view of the case under the special, circumstances. The: Chairman ef the Bench said it was loth to alter decision in view of the previous warnings which had been given to defendant. Eventualljy defendant was ordered! to pay a fine of £2, with «£l -Is oounseFa fee and £1 3s Court costs, and .witnesses? expenses, in default of payment fourteen days’ imprisonment. Defendant was allowed two weeks in which to pay. th© amount. ~ Jonathan Wilkinson pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelly illtreating a horse, but stated that the horse had caught hia foot in coming down a hill, and was not suffering from, ringbone, as alleged. Defendant was fined 10s, with costs (395).