THE Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1923. KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10559, 18 December 1923, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1923. KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.

Our attention has been drawn ; to a leaflet byi an Oamavu resident, asking all who can inimence children or public opinion to do so m the direction of cultivating love for animals and their welfare. We" cordially agree with the sentiments of the writer, '.- though Ave-must say at the outset that his statement is made more from the view' point.of the Homeland and- its cities than from that "of the country dwellers in New ■ Zealand. Too' often there is a thoughtlessness on. the part both of children and grown-ups m J their actions towards dumb anij inals. Kindness to animals be- ! tokens thoughtfillness, and the practice of this sentiment must react on the individual, produc- : ing kindly thoughts to all animal ; life, the human included. When : a boy throws a stone at a dog or 1 :i cat, he forgets that- ho is in- •; Opting entirely unnecessary pain and a timely reminder from par- | eht or''-teacher will very often i cause the boy to mend his ways. Cnioliy to animals is undoubtedly , a sign of callous feeling in the in- | dividual, but we should also re- ! member that where cruelty is, ! merely the result of thoughtless - ; ness, it may engender callous j feelings where they did not exist | before. Children as a rule are | fond of pets, but it may be that 'at holiday times they, forget to make arrangements for .the • wel-l-fare of these pets. New Zealand h.-'is a diversity of bird, life, part : of' which is looked upon in the ,■ nature of pests. Our local bod- ; ies put a price on the heads of ' these pests, and we cannot 'ne i surprised tliat our boys are j quick to seize the opportunity of i making, a little pocket money. ! Boys should learn to , destroy ! them without inflicting lihriecesj sary "'pain. The rare birds, .which are found in our forests and"which ; are- quite harmless to man's in- , teresls are often thoughtlessly and callously destroyed. We i should teach our young people j to love these songsters of the i .b.iish,:. both for their music ana j their beauty. What a dull place !. the bush would be without these - birds! , J ' ','""" The cult for killing is manifested more by the townsfolk ■■ than by dwellers in the country. ; Om any. and every holiday the I former may be found, all over the i" country near to towns indiscriminately slaughtering protected" and unprotected birds alike. It is not always possible to catch and punish these people, whose lust for slaughter is so marked, but .'when they are caught and punished, there should be little sympathy for them. With the shooting of birds which have been specially introduced for shooting for sport at special times of the year, there will always be a difference of opinion among Englishmen, but the aim of Societies which have been formed for the welfare of bird and. animal life makes no distinction. Therefore such Societies will make slow progress in their :work in New Zealand, at any rate amongst legitimate sports so-called. It were better if the cult of the love of animals had been more emphasised than the cult of killing. Only good, however, can come from our teaching to children that dumb animals must never be tortured. Love to animals will engender llio. spirit of love in mankind.