PETITION IN BALCLUTHA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27232, 8 November 1949, Page 8

PETITION IN BALCLUTHA

Sir. —At its last meeting the Balclutha Borough Council received a petition signed by 39 residents and a letter from the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals asking that the water trough's in the main street might be spared for the sake of the driven animals that came into the borough on sale days, and also the dogs used to drive the same. The names attached to the pettion were obtained over a very small section of the borough, and the number could have been increased to hundreds if a wider canvass had been instituted. The astonishing thing about the matter is that the Mayor. Mr Ivan Jenkins, opened the discussion at the council table by remarking that “ only about six of all those (signatories) are really interested.” Obviously his meaning was that the big majority of the signatories were not engaged in driving stock or interested in their care on the main highway, and therefore they should have no sav in the matter. This is certainly a curious and very narrow view, and entirely misses the point, although that was emphasised in the society’s letter. The ordinary citizen is entitled In a democratic community to have his or her sav regarding injustice, whether it be in the form of cruelty to animals or cruelty to humans. That was the principle on which the SPCA was formed, and no other And a democratically-elected borough council should recognise it, and not seek to wield •• the big stick ” when in a position of temporary power. Fortunately, a majority of the council took a sympathetic and practical view of the position and decided that the water troughs be shifted to the street leading directly to the saleyards. They also rejected with unanimity a proposal of a decidedly reactionary nature in the form of a motion that in future the council should take no notice of petitions unless those who signed were really affected. This, of course, would rule out petitions altogether and deprive the burgesses of an inherent right recognised in all true democracies. —I am. etc:, Balclutha. Animal Lover.