SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11675, 7 March 1900, Page 7

SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

The eighteenth annual report, to be presented to members oil Thursday, March 15, is as follows: — ..''■■"'

In presenting their.annual report for 1839, the committee1 have pleasufo in stating that the castes of cruelty, dealt with by their inspector ivere: less in number and flagrancy than last year, as will: be seen from his .report. One hundred and nineteen cases were brought before the,, committee, of which ii were of ii trivial character, and hot borne out by evidence. Of the 18 prosecutions, 13 convictions were obtained, whilst three were .withdrawn and two dismissed. "Six" horse's and two cows were destroyed at the suggestion of the inspector. Your, committee have received lib reply to'the letter sent by the'tn to the Minister of Justice, and alluded to in last year's report. Mr Quick, late hon. secretary; intends during his'visit to the old country to interview Mr Colam, the secretary of the" Royal Society foe the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Loudon upon the subject of dehorning cattle, arid about which, lie had previously corresponded with him. The number of membsrs is now 293, which is slightly less tliah last year. The subscriptions collected amount to £115 2s Gd as against £120 19s in 1896. The committee have with- regret to .record the death of their worthy vice-president, the Hon.. Thomas Dick, who.was connected with the society from its commencement. A record of thanks is due to our numerous kind friehds, Inspector Pajrdy and-the Police department for very cordial assistance whenever called upon; the Railway department, Mr F. D. Barnfield (contractor of railway advertising, who allows our notices to appear without' charge), and ' our honorary oHicers—the veterinary surgeons, solicitors', auditors, and local agents. Your committee desire to express also their appreciation of the good services rendered to .the society by their inspector, Jlr R. T. Aitken. Before, closing their report your committee wish to state that it is most desirable, that any information as to alleged cruelty should be* accompanied by the,name and address of the informant, wliiuh would he received strictly.in eonfldence if so desired by the writer. Anonymous allegations will, -however,, be inquired into if tliey appear to be mado in good faith. All correspondence to be addressed to tlie honorary secretary.

. Mr'Aitken, the inspector, in his report, says:—

I have the honour to submit niy eighteenth annual report of the work done for the year ending 31st December, 1899. One hundred and nineteen cases of alleged cruelly to animals were reported arid investigated,' as under: 23 cases weie not prosecuted for want of evidence; IS prosecutions were instituted; 13 convictions were obtained; ?, cases were withdrawn; 2 cases were dismissed; 6 horses suffering from injuries, and .also worn out, were destroyed at my request; 2 cows were also destroyed. Seventy persons were cautioned for various offences, as under:—For working horses when suffering from wounds under the harness, 25; for working horses when sufferhi"from lameness, 13; for working horses when weak and unfit to be worked, 9; for cruelly beating and . ill-treating horses, 7; for overloading and over-driving horses, 4; for keeping horses aiid cattle without sufficient food and shelter, 2; for ill-treating :t bull by fastening a rope from a ring in its no.?e io the rear of a dray,; 1; for neglecting to supply a disabled cow with sufficient-food, i; for. ill-treat-ing a cow with a hedge knife, 1; for ill-treating nine young pig's by causing thcii] to be carried by train in a crate of insufficient size, causing eight of them to die, 1: for ill-treating a puppy dog, 1; for ill-treating rabbits on a farm 2for ill-treating poultry by overcrowding them iri crates without water, 3;— total, 70. It is pleasing to r.ote that there is consider." bic improvement in lhe tram, drag, cab, express, and centra ctoi;s' horses. The thanks of your society nre due to the public, the railway official, and also to Inspector ■ Pardy and the police ior (heir valuable assistance rendered to die society n its good work. I have visited the .following districts—namely, Oamaru, Palmerston, Otepopo, Waikounit'i->-lVaitati Port Chalmers, Lower Harboiu;-''*Rawvers'' Bay r "-n '-Sm? o p«'»n-="la.'^eith Vailey, Mount Cargill, Halfway Bush, Kaikorai Valley, Green Island, Mosgiel, Outram, Taieri, Waihola. Millon, Manuka Creek, Waitahuna, Lawrence Kaitangata Stirling. , Balclutha, Owaka, tt ai'epa, Clinton. Arthurton, and fior,» . besides paying occasional visits to the Burnside cattle yards etc. A considerable amount of mv time has been taken up with the duties of truant officer to the Otago Education Board but the society's work has hot hi_en neglected. A list of prosecutions, with the results,' which is appended by the inspector, shows that 11 were heard at Dunedin. 4 at Gore »"« 3at Milton. The fines and costs totalled