ALLEGED CRUELTY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8366, 28 February 1913, Page 2

ALLEGED CRUELTY.

“CANNER” BEEF CASES WERE THE ANIMALS MALTREATED? The hearing was continued before iir W. G. Riddell, &.M., in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday of tho case in winch the Society lor the Prevention el Cruelty to . Animals proceeded against Alexander James Cooper, stock lament, Maaterton, and Thomas Vivian Caverhill, cattle buyer, Carterton. Each defendant was cnarged that on, October aOth last he caused to be' conveyed from Alasterton to Ngahauranga seventeen head of cattle in such manner as to, subject them to unnecessary pain and suttering. . The case first came on in December last,' and at the conclusion of the informant’s case -counsel for the defendants submitted that there was no lease to answer. . , His Worship reserved decision, but later decided that there was a case to answer. The adjourned hearing came on yesterday. . - , Mr V. R. Meredith appeared for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Air A. Blair for tho defendants. Addressing tho court, Mr Blair said the condition of the cattle on their arrival at Ngahauranga was not the question. What concerned the court was their condition on leaving Masterton. Tho defendants could not be held responsible for what was disclosed in postmortem. No evidence had been given as to the general appearance of tne cattle when they left the yards at .'Alasterton, although there must have been many people at the sale who could have helped the court on that point. Ho proposed to show that cattle that were apparently perfectly healthy might be found, through examination after death, to bo diseased. Ho would call evidence to the Affect that a beast Which was awarded a first prize at a recent show was subsequently killed and fouhd to bo unfit for human consumption. William Cox, farm manager, near Alasterton, said that on the day of the sale of the cattle concerned in the action ho was working for Mclhtosh and Co., who sold them. He was engaged in the drafting of these cattle, and he put them into a pen as “ potters,” A “ potter ” was a beast hot good enough to turn out for fattening, but worth selling for its hide value, etc. His Worship : What Is the difference between a “potter” and a “boiler”? —They are practically the same. In fact, a “potter ” is a little bit better than a “ boiler.” Mr Blair said ■ there were three terms —“ potter,” “boiler,” and "canner.” Witness said his experience was that cattle got knocked'about sometimes on a train journey-^—at times one might get killed in the trucks. The cattle in the present line were just the same as other lines of potters which had been sent down in his experience of-the last four years. To Mr Meredith : He disagreed with statements that the cattle were emaciated, and he was surprised at someone having said that two of them were dying through weakness when they got to Wellington. He did not think they had practically Starved for some' time before they were put on the trUcks. Mr Blair stated that he had intended to call four witnesses, but only one had put in an appearance. His Worsnip adjourned the case till 2.15 p.m. to give Air Blair an opportunity of calling further witnesses. U pon resumption, Mr Blair called fames Cooper, farmer, of MartinuoroUgh, wno stated that he sanf the animals concerned in the case at the sale- They Were an ordinary run of cattle—he would call thorn “eanners." A farmer buying cattle had no opportunity of telling whether or not they were tuberculous. Borne cattle fared badly in railway journeys. The shunting knocked them about. He did not notice that any of tho cattle had any skin off them at tho sale. The shunting might take off some skin, or it might be caused by. an animal getting down and others tramping on it. It also depended on the length of time they were left in the trucks. Wellconditioned cattle would stand a railway journey better than “eanners.’ Air Meredith: Canners will not stand the train as well as good-conditioned cattle? Witness: Nothing will stand some Of these trains. Continuing, witness said he had not taken particular notice of the cattle at the sale. Air Blair intimated that he was unable to ascertain the whereabouts of two other witnesses whom ho had intended to call. His Worship said he did not intend to give a decision at once. He would go carefully through the evidence, and deliver judgment at a later date.