SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8112, 22 February 1888, Page 5 (Supplement)

SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The sixth annual meeiiiij of tbe Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 2nd nit. The president of the society (Mr Justice Williams) took the chair, and about 30 ladies and gentlemen wore present. ANNUAL liEPORT. Tho annual report of the Bociety was as follows:— In making their sixtli annual report tbo committed have pleasure in sUting their belief that your work during the past year lias been productive of much good, both in ameliorating suffering and inducing a better state nf feeling as regards the treatment of domestic animals. As will be seen l\y l:ia detailed repoit, the inspector has investigated Kit eases during the year, of which only the moro flagrant were taken Into court. One very bad case of overcrowding pigs in a railway truck, which caused the death of a large number of the anirruls, necessitated a visit to Chrlstcliurch and Invrrcnrgill to obtain evidence. The heavy line and costs inflicted iv this case will, it is hoped, present a repetition of the offence. lor some time past it has been known thai cockfighting was carried on in or near Duqeillu, and it was honed that sufficient evidenvi n'.ij.;l\t beprooured to obtain a conviction of same. r.t loast, of those engaged in this dlsgr^ociul and illegal practice. Finding it impossible to oatch the delinquents otherwise, a toward of iii has been offered for such evidL'nco as may lead to a conviction. No application lias been made for the reward as yet; and it would assist the committee if all who wish to see this cruel practice put an end to would mnko known us widely ni possible that such reward is offered. During the past year tbe Committee of tho Ucncvolent Institution, having m»de other arrangements, dispensed with tbe services nf your inspector. This Ims cmiscJ n serious loss to the income of the society, but no doubt the whole of tho inspector's time can ba advantngcouslv employed in your own business. The books kiu'dly given by Miss Michell, its reported lust year, havu been diolribnted'(principally ! among tilt soliools), and should Certainly bavea good ; eftoetT upon tho rising gelicration. It is most desirable thiit more books nud papers bparing upon your work should be distributed; but in t!;t> i.\i.o of the continued depression voiv cortitiiittcc liiivo economised your r^souLcca, [nirli'nps tivtin too much.

Tin; committee have ng iln to record their appreciation of tho services rendered by tl't: hcuar.iry solicitors and veterinary surgeor.J, tin) officers of the police, and the ;nwi. They haVo also to express tliuir continued satisfaction with your inspector, w?'.a does liis worlc zealously and thoroughly. p,r.;l at tlie same time judiciously. ■ - - ■ Tl|2 inspector's report is as under: — In placing before you a report of tiie work done for the Vi months cmlcj December 31,1557, tho following statement will slioiv the nature of tho offences, tin; proceedings ta! ( dn, auq the results :—There were KJI cases investigated ; 18 persons were prosecuted; 1* persons were c- invicted anil lined ; two Informations were-wiMiOrawiii livo liorsea, suifurlng in cousequonco of bolntf completely worn out, were destroyed at, my requoit; two dogs, sufferinj; from mange, were destroyed at. my request. Ninety-eight persons wero cautioned for various offencel;- i.s j under: —For working horses with on-.n io..e; under ' the harntss, IS ; for workinr; h ul sos wheii lame, 11; for worl-Mng JiO:jo; v,-"u^ii ill a'weal; condition. 10 ; j for worKing lunici oylierwise limit to be worked, t four; fqr i!-\\dly ueatlngaiul ill-t'eating horses. Ill; foroverlovliiifj or overdriving horses, 12; for ovcrdrivinf; a broken-winded horse, ono; fof luuvlng disabl«l hor.es without siiflicii'.nt fnod iiud water, two ; for toping horses nn.l cattle. without aufflolcn't food anil wa'.or, bix; fur ill-trea'inj; e-.ltle and young ealvc-s, two; for ilMreafinfi rtr.gs anil cats, three; for overcrowding fowlß carried by train, kc. tl'ree ; j for carrying fowls J)y tho feet,"tli» )-erti iinnging j down.sfven; totd.V 3 ' j

Spveriilcr.cc: :..i a.ok-i\f;hiing nave been reported to th j society, bi:t ;»s yet no evidence for prosecu'fon has bpen obtained. Out of a number of cases reported by the public to the secretary and investigated by me. lii complaints wero not"su!>i,tantlated. In c^ses where ebilihtu have boon reported for committing acts i.f cruelty, the committee have deemed it ail.-lsalilv' lo request their parents to punish them. Several cases have been disposed of In this way with good effect. I beg to note Hint the public si ill oontinue to come forward to give evidence in ao;;rt for the society In caifis of ..ruoKv thai" mar onme under their notice. I h.'.ve viiited'Chrictcluirch, Itoniliy, Oamaru, Waikouaiti, Waitati, Vorf. Chalmers, Otago, Peninsula, tireen Island, Mosglol, Outran, Grevtown.'Taieri, Milton, l.awrenco, Balciutha. Clinton, Gore, Lowtlicr, Invercirgill, Ac., besides nayiuL' fre(inent. visits to the cattle yard? ami fill the" Suburbs of tlie city.

.} err viable professional assistance has been afforded to mn from time to time by t.Ua society's honorary solicitors ar.d votefjniry su'geons, who are always most re,-,tly 'o advise me upon all points requiring theiripeoial knowledge. The following Is a list of persons prosecuted and the amount of lines iullieted (including costsjdnring the 12 months ended 31st December ISB7, at Dunedin Police Court: —

Cruelly beating and kicking a horse, £2 Cs fid ; kicking a horse in the abdomen, £\ I's tid ; working a horse with open sores under tlio harness. £1 2a lid ; working a horse with open sores under the. harness, £1 2s ml; driving a horse to death in a buggy on hire. £:! Is lid; driving a horse to death in a buggy on hire. £:i Is; drivini'a horse to death in a hii"gy en lure. £.1 Is; cruelly beating and overdiiviiig ii Inrse in a boguy on hire. .Ct tis ; working a horse with open sores under the harness, £> 17s tid ; cruelly be.il mc and overdriving n horse, in v buggy on hire, JK! K!s ii.l; drawing a young hull by the nose behind iv dray, £:> 113 Oil; dragging a y.nmg bull Uv thonose bshind a dray, £2 11s Od ; working a hnrso with open

5'.r.-s undtr the harness, £1 His; ii.r ill treating pigs, lour inloniKilioris were laid nguinst one person', lor causing ISS pigs to be conveyed in railway Irntii in an overcrowded state a distance of 3(>i> miles without sillllcient food and water, c.iusinß 21 of said pigs to be crushed to de.ith and a number to did at their destination after tlioy were taken out of the trucks. Tliu pigs with in tbo railway trucks for over IS hours. The defendant was lined in the first offence £;>, and in the second onVnce £1. Costs of court and witnesses in botli casej with £9 lls 7d; total-£li) 11s 7d. (The other two churls wnre withdrawn.) ') lie total amount r,f fities, including costs of court, witiK'isea.ie., fortliu la mouths ending December 3i.!837, is£.rio lls 7il.

IV seditions hate only been instituted In very fl'ijrrat-L cases of cruelty. 'Tlie society Ins no Internet In mul receives no portion of the lines. During the fame time a number o' oases of cruelty have been prosecuted liy Uie polioii. who have aeteJ must harmoniously with your society.

ThePi-KSinENr moved the adoption of the report, tbo Rev. Dr Stuart seconding the motion, which was carried unanimously. Kr.HCI'ION OF OFI-'ICKKS, ETC. On the motion of General luvink, seconded by Mr Wathkn", his Honor Mr Justice Williams was again eke.cd president of the society with acclamation.

Dr Hqckbh moved—''That the Hon. Thomas Dick and Mr George Fcnwick be re-elected vice-presidents." After moving this resolution, the speaker said that hs wa.s not sure whether this was the right time to do it, but be wished to make a suggestion to the nice! ing. Many of them must have witnessed with pain the heavilyloaded horses toiling up the i;tiei> ascents round the city, and very often their painful efforts were renderod moro painful to witness by a great deal of brutal treatment that was used towards them. It had occurred to him to throw out the suggestion that perhaps the tramway companies of iilornington and Roslyn might be able to make some provision whereby heavy loads of coal and other things might' be carried to the top of the ascent and there deposited in some depot. This might be done after the ordinary working hours. At r.uy rate it struck him that something of the kind might be arranged for ; the iiiinntitc of such arrangements it would be for others to suggest. If the suggestion could be carried out it would be a blessing to the poor horses and relieve humane people from witnessing some very painful sights.

The re-election of the vice-president >vas also carried unanimously.

The Hey. Mr Noktu moved the appointment of tho following ladies and gentlemeu as the general oommittee fcr tho year:—Mesdames Adamson, Brown, Chamberlain, Dick, Dymock, Edwards, Giffard, Hockcn, Livingston, Mills, Seivwright, Stewart, and Walcot; his Worship tho Mayor for the time being, Rev. B. Lichttnstein, Dr Brown, Dr Hocken, General Irvine, Messrs J.Caflin, B. Hallensteiu, J. Hardic.R. K. Murray, W. Mill?, P. Mitchell, J. Robin, W. H. Taggart, and A. Thomson. He had no doubt this seleotiou was a wise one, and vim pleased to see that thu ladies nominated wore so many in number. He thought they outnumbered those of the other sex, and considered that that was as it ought to be iv such a case. The community, he thought, were under an obligation to the society, and he desired to express his entire sympathy with its objects. The special vuluo attaching to the society was that it presented before the community an embodiment of right sentiment iv relation to tho lower animals

Mr G. I'emwick seconded the motion, and the ladies and gentlemen named were elected without dissent tho general committee of the society.

On the motion of Mr Tohuanck, tho followng gentlemen weru elected honorary solicitors to the society:—Messrs A. Bathgate, V. R. Chapman, J. Copland (Lawrence), J. F. M. Eraser, Hon. T. W. Hidlop(Oamaru), D,. Finlayson (Lawrence), H. Newton (Oamaru), IX Reid (Hilton), R. L. Stanford, Li. Stewart (Ualclutha), V. Stilling (Falmerston), and Sir R. Stout.— Carried unanimously. Tho Rev. B. Litcuessteis moved that the following gentlemen bo honorary veterinary surgeons to tho society:—Messrs J. O. Douglass, R. O. Fanjuharsou, A. Hamilton, and S. Sleshijjer.

Mr G. Fknwick moved tho ro-election of Mr W. Brown as hou. auditor.

Mr E. Quick seconded the motion, remarking that no one could bo more particular with accounts than Mr Brown ; and though tho accounts were now very email, he hoped the time would arrivo when they would have something worth auditing.