NON-STOP KILLERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21976, 10 June 1933, Page 14

NON-STOP KILLERS

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —When theories are advanced containing what may appear at first sight to be an element of truth, which on analysis prove to be founded on fallacious assumptions, the necessity of demonstrating the inaccuracy of these becomes an imperative duty. Your correspondent, “ Safety First, observes with a degree of accuracy, and amazing reasoning ability, which is in no way supported by the remaining features of his letter, that I used the word “ probably.” It was inserted ad-

visedly. The incident was one which I did not witness, and to come to a definite conclusion about a conjectural matter is one of the first proofs of narrow-minded-ness. _ The statement was made on a supposition. The probabilities support the contention, and no evidence is available to the contrary. The Department of Industrial and Scientific Research in a series of tests conducted with Alsatian dogs was able to tabulate the reactions of these animals .to certain conditioner Professor B. E. Murphy in a treatise of a technical nature, states: “Facts are assembled, obtained by observation and experiment, from statistics. . , . This preliminary collection of data is often most arduous, demanding both care and discrimination. From i these data, hypotheses or laws are inferred. , These inferred consequences are then verified by comparison with observed fact.” The results of the tests beinjf consistent, and the attitude of the dog in certain circumstances being known, it wa 8 not an unreasonable assumption on my part to expect a similar attitude under similar circumstances. 'I Your correspondent writes: “As Alsatian dogs are nothing more nor less than a very poorly domesticated wolf breed, I fail to see wherein the inherent love of children consists.” It did not occur to me that I must be very explicit on: every point. It is usually taken for granted that people of discernment can. assimilate for themselves facts of a commonplace nature without any great degree of assistance. The object of breeding was to combine the sagacity, courage, and power of the wolf ivith the kindness and docility of the other animal, and to say that I maintained that, in the resultant Alsatian, the love of children evolved from the wolf strain was, in effect, to misrepresent the actual facts. Your correspondent in sarcastic strain says, “ Perhaps the dog reasoned it out that the child of three might be attempting to choke it.” In the perspective of members of the canine family the power of outside animals or bodies to inflict damage or cause apprehension is in no way determined by the relative size of that offending body. In answer to “ Safety First ” the statute contains no proviso that dogs of any description should be on a leash, and a perusal of the by-laws of the Dunedin City Corporation a regulation that operates only in certain well-defined areas. Of course, by-laws are, in effect, inoperative unless supported by judicial decision. Suppose the law to be that Alsatians should be on a leash. Laws ate formulated for the benefit of a community having regard to possible exigencies in specific cases. This neither proves nor disproves any supposition as to the nature of Alsatians. The Alsatian that was killed was not on a leash. With regard to the owner and the law the decision in Harding’s case may be cited, and this incidentally furnishes the law on the subject, in the absence of statute law. The learned judge held, inter alia; “In my opinion the dog was under proper control and the only question for the consideration of the court is whether or not the place could be held a public place. That is a question of fact. Regard must be had to the time as well as to the place. A city street at midday is, unquestionably, a public place, but at midnight it may, under certain circumstances, fall outside

the category of public places and the law obtaining ceases, ipso facto, to opertae." —I am, etc.. Vox Populi. Dunedin, June 7.