DAMAGE TO STOCK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20287, 21 December 1927, Page 3

DAMAGE TO STOCK.

RAILWAY SYSTEM QUESTIONED. COMPLAINT FROM NORTH ISLAND. DISCUSSION BY S.P.C.A. A complaint from Hawke’s Bay that stock suffered considerably in transit on the New Zealand railways was received at yesterday’s meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. After the question had been discussed by the members, it was decided to inquire from the department as to the position in the Otago district. The Secretary of the Hawkels Bay Society wrote stating that the question of the carriage of live stock had been brought before his committee because of a complaint made to one of the members that stock suffered considerably through faulty handling on the railways. It had been decided to circularise other societies to ascertain whether any complaints had been received in other districts. His committee was of the opinion that uniformity of action might bring beneficial -results. He was trying to obtain particulars of any specific case in his district, and he thought that if any action were to be taken it would bo necessary for all societies to be able to bring forward actual known cases of damage to live stock in order that the Minister woud be well satisfied with the grounds for complaint. Dealing with the position in Otago, the Inspector (Mr J. Craig) said that he had certainly heard complaints. In such cases he had usually gone to the traffic manager, who, with the other railway authorities, had always made investigations in an endeavour to meet the requests in every way possible. To a certain extent the system was* at fault, but usually when the complaints were gone into it was found that there was not much in them. The department was doing its best, but was faced with a difficulty because of the fact that there was not sufficient stock coming forward to warrant the running of special trains.

The Chairman (Sir George Fenwick): Is it a question of putting on special trains? The Inspector: If delays arc to be avoided, it amounts to that. Mr J. M’Gregor said that in his experience it was often the fault of the owner of the stock who did not truck the animals with sufficient care. He knew of a case two years ago when a stock owner forwarded cattle from Dunedin to Queenstown. Ho was warned to separate the animate, but put small ones with big ones in the same truck. Ag a result, four of the small cattle were trampled to death by the time the consignment reached its destination.

The Chairman said he thought that it was the duty of the Railways Department to exercise proper supervision. Consignors should not be allowed to truck the animals in such a manner.

The Inspector pointed out that at many small country depots no railway official was present when the trucking was carried out.'

Mr A. D. Sutherland observed that rough shunting was often the cause of damage to stock. If the shunters did not exercise reasonable care nothing could stand up in the trucks. The Chairman said that in view of the letter from the Hawke’s Bay Society it would be as well to write a letter to the department in Dunedin drawing the attention of railway officers to the matter. The Inspector quoted the time that was taken in railing stock form Waikouaiti to Burnside. Stock loaded in the evening did not arrive at Burnside until 8 o’clock the next morning. It was decided, as suggested by Sir George Fenwick, that a letter be sent to the Railways Department.