AN INCORRECT REPORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19957, 26 November 1926, Page 9

AN INCORRECT REPORT.

REPORTED CRITICISM UNTRUE. NO REFLECTION ON ROYALTY. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 25. By to-day’s English mail the Christchurch Star received the following letter from the Hon. Stephen Coleridge:— “Sir,—ln your paper of June 7, you have a description of t!..- annual meeting of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. You allude to the remarks of Lord Banbury (from the chair), who brought into the discussion the King and the Prince of Wales. In my opinion this was quite improper and unfair. No one at the meeting had the slightest intention of attacking the Pnnce of Wales, for whom everyone has a loyal and even affectionate regard; but if reformers are never tc attempt to put an end to the practice because some illustrious and admirable persons indulge in_ it, there is ho abuse of questionable practice in ah history that would not hove thus secured immunity from criticism. “Finally, your account states that the meeting closed in uproar. This is an entire invention. Nothing of the kind occurred. On the contrary, at the conclusion of the debate, I myself proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and the meeting close in the most friendly manner. I* thing it is to be regretted that the mischievious invention of an uproar’ that never occurred should be spread about New Zealand.” The report to which the letter refers was a Press Association cablegram _ front London, reporting a meeting at which it was stated that a motion by the Hon. Mr Coleridge w r as carried, regretting that the society had refused Mrs Sarah Lovegrady’s legacy of £IO,OOO. . Mr Coleridge also declared that hunting was distinctly cruel. Lord Banbury said the terms of the legacy rendered its acceptance impossible They must get nd of the King, whe was the society’s patron, and the Prince of Wales, who was the president in order to accept the legacy, as the King was fond of shooting, and the Prince was an ardent huntsman. From a newspaper article, accompanying Mr Coleridge’s letter to the Star, it appears that the motion was lost By five votes. There was never disorder or uproar at the meeting. ________„