PREVENTION OF CRUELTY

Southland Times, Issue 23947, 13 October 1939, Page 9

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY

SOUTHLAND SOCIETY MEETS ACTIVITIES DURING PAST YEAR REVIEWED The activities during the past year of the Southland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were reviewed in the annual report which was presented at last night's meeting of the society. “The membership of the society is being steadily maintained though the committee would prefer to report an increase each year,” stated the report. “The balance-sheet shows the finances of the society to be in a healthy condition, and this is to some extent due to the legacy received in the will of Mr William Young. “Mr A. Duncan, the inspector, has carried out his duties faithfully and has succeeded in his work without the necessity for any prosecutions. Fiftynine cases of alleged cruelty were investigated; of lhese, 10 complaints were investigated and not sustained, and 49 persons were cautioned for various offences.”

A certain amount of cruelty existed in the system of trapping rabbits in those cases where the carcass was being marketed for human consumption, the report stated. It was a difficult problem and could not altogether be coped with. During the winter season the inspector had been keeping a look-out for trappers and had been successful in minimizing this form of cruelty to some extent. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £225/5/6.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The president (Mr E. J. Boyd) was chairman, and there was a fair attendance of members. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Patron, Mr J. L. McG. Watson; president, Mr E. J. Boyd; vice-presidents, Messrs A. W. Jones, H. J. Farrant and E. McQuarrie; committee, Mesdames Pottinger, Crofts, Jones and Dudman, and Messrs H. H. Gilmour and J. McNaughton; auditor, Mr E. E. Boyd; secretary, Mr H, H. Royds.