PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 74

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

. ANNUAL MEETING.

The forty-seventy annual meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Town Hall on Tuesday. The Rev. W. Saunders (vice-president) occupied the chair. In moving the adoption of the annual report and. balance sheet, the chairman said it was fitting that he should first make reference to the death of one of their members, Mr P. Johnson. Mr Johnson had been an old member of the committee, and he had always had the interests of the society at heart. The chairman then asked those present to stand as a tribute to his memory. Continuing, the chairman said that their president (Sir George Fenwick) was at Rotorua, and Mr Crosby Morris (chairman of committee) was on the West Coast, and that explained their absence from the meeting. They did not have a very large attendance of members that afternoon, and this no doubt was caused by the fact that the publie was well satisfied with the control of the society. He was sure, however, that they had the goodwill and the confidence of the general public. It was gratifying to see from the annual report that there were few cases of gross cruelty to occupy the attention of the committee—in fact, the position seemed to. be that none of the cases was the result of deliberate cruelty, but rather of thoughlessness and ignorance. The society had made some progress in the encouragement of kindness to animals, especially by doing what it could to train the children to regard animals in a kindly way. The society had supported the Animal Welfare Week and the committee had decided to give a medal and certificates to children showing kindness to injured animals. The committee exercised the greatest care in dealing with cases brought under its notice. Of 81 cases of alleged cruelty, 41 persons were cautioned, five cases were not proceeded with for lack of evidence, and the remainder, 35, were simply discussed. The speaker referred to the interest shown in animal welfare by Mr J. A. Forb.es, of Oamaru, and said that it was due to his perseverance that Welfare Week was such a success. In this connection he thought the churches and the Sunday schools could show a greater interest. Circulars had been sent to them, but so far as his information went the response had not been adequate. In the inculcation in children of kindness to animals lay their hopes for the future. Reference was made to the difficulty of finding anyone who would take the responsibility of destroying an animal -which might be fatally injured by passing traffic. The chairman said that representations had been made to the Government on this matter, and the society hoped that a laiv would be passed definitely providing for some one to have authority to d<> stroy an animal under the circumstances he had mentioned.— (Applause.) Mr W. F. Sligo seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers were appointed:—President, Sir George Fenwick (re-elected) ; vice-presidents—Rev. W. Saunders, Messrs Crosby Morris, and W. D. Snowball (re-elected); hon. treasurer, Mr W. F. Sligo (re-elected); committee— Mrs Porteous, the Mayor (Mr W. B. Taverner, M.P.), and Messrs T. Elliott, J. Brown, S. P. Leith, J. M'Gregor, James Sheppard, A. Stewart, John Sheppard, W. T. Mathewson, A. D. Sutherland, H. L. Tapley, D. M‘Lennan, and P. Briscoe; veterinary surgeons—Messrs W. D. Snowball (Dunedin), P. McGregor (Dunedin), and T. Cunningham (Oamaru), re-elected; auditors, Messrs William Brown and Co. A lengthy list of hon. solicitors was also appointed. GENERAL BUSINESS. Mr Cooper brought up the question of carrying dogs on unguarded running, boards of motor cars. He said that he had knowledge of two or three cases where dogs had been severely injured through being thrown off the boards. Mr Sligo said this was really a question to be met by a city by-law. The society could deal with cases of cruelty, but the point was whether the complaint would come under this heading. On the motion of Mr Cooper it was decided to refer the matter to the incoming committee.

The chairman made reference to the excellent work done by their agent (Mr J. Craig), and also by their secretary (Mr E. S. Wilson), his remarks meeting with general approval. The meeting concluded with a vote of of thanks to the chairman, moved by Sligo, who spoke of the great interest shown in the society by Mr Saunders.