TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 13 October 1926, Page 11

TEMUKA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

CRUELTY TO HOUSE.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, lieforo Mr E. 1). Mosley, S.M., Juntos 'Dumiett .was charged with wilfully maiming a horso by shooting it in the head. •Mr G. Walker appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. G. Gliddon, inspector for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty, to Animals, slated that on September 2lst ho vi>ited defendant’s, nlaco in company with Constable Kearney. Up did not see a liorso thcro, but ho was present when defendant made a statement to the constable to the effect that ho had fired a shot at a horse, and that ho did not know whether it find got tlio charge or pot,, but supposed that if did. Defendant said that ho had bred at tho horse because -it was annoying his pony, and he thought that it was a rig. Defendant produced a doublebarrelled- gun . as tho gun ho had used. Witness saw a small pool of blood near tho shed, and there-was also a small pool near the gate. Witness _ saw a . pony cover, tho outsido of. which was bespattered,,with .blood. Later on ho examined a liorso at Scadbwn. It was a two-yoar-old hack gelding and in good condition. There weko a dozen pellet marks on the right sido of tho head, and one pellet had penetrated the eye, making it practically blind. There was -a swellingmilder- tho jaw and a. discharge of blood from tin l nostril. From behind the car and right down tho nock thcro were over 30 pollct holes, and there vras considerable bleeding behind the ear. To Mr Walker: He could not say if there' was any difficulty in catching"' tiro horse. Tho horso was a gelding Ho could not say positively, but it was more than possible that it was a gelding. I Constable'Kearney stated that ho had (.interviewee? defendant, who made a ; statement (produced), which was to the effect that defendant bad fired at tho horse because it was annoying Iris'pony and breaking down the fences, i Mr Walker briefly outlined the case for the defence, and called the defendant, who stated that ho bought tho ! horso about a fortnight before tho incident occurred. ,Ono .of the conditions of tho purchnso was that after [witness had fattened it up the previous owner was to break it in. It was in 1 poor condition when witness bought it. When any mare was passing tho section tho horse used to jump tho fence, and it was continually annoying witness’s .pony. . Witness told Shaw. to take it hack again, but six men tried and could not bail it up. On the following day Shaw came with another horse and' ttiok It away. The horse was a positive danger, and if it had got out when any children wero passing they might have been injured. Ho had fired a shot at- it . from 70 or 80 yards away, as it was trying to get over the fence to his pony. The horso was a rig! ,

To Sergeant Dwan: The horso was in poor condition when he got it. Itwas in his possession for one week. ITo had fired at it from a distance of 70 yards. The gun was a shotgun. jL’ho day was a Sunday and ho had- had no drink. He lmd never shot a liofsa at any other time. cW. Sughruc stated that he had seen thoi Forgo" kicking amt 'Misbehaving generally. After observing the horso ho . would say that it was a rig, not a. gelding. Sergeant Dwan: “If you. had a rig woucl you use a gun on it?”. Witness, replied yes, but only to frighten it. Ho considered it was dangerous to children. Tho Magistrate said that there was nothing he could say to palliate the offence. It was a brutal thing to firo a gun at the. head of a horse, and there was absolutely no excuse for it. Defendant would he convicted and! fined £lO, with costs 255. SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. A very successful euchre party and dance was given by the Girls’ Basketball Club in the Parish Hall, last evening, when there vras a very, largo attendance. The prize-wiii-nors for card playing were:-—Ladies, Miss G. Anderson;. men, Mr W. Cargo; consolation prizes going to. Miss Ivy Ives and Mr A. Pearem At the close of ■ the card playing, dancing vras indulged in till a late hour, for which music was supplied by club members. Mr J. Brosnahan made a capable M.G,

“GLORIOUS NEW ZEALAND.”“Tbo most beautiful scenic picturo we have ever reviewed” is tho way a southern newspaper critic sums up “Glorious New Zealand,” tho Government publicity picture, to bo screened at Temuka this afternoon and evening. Samoa is introduced, Antarctic Ross Land is shown in coni vast. Tbo glories of I 'the Wintorless 'North starts the tourist from overseas on a zig-zag tour of the Dominion. All tho main features ol our scenic resorts aro shown, but best of all are shown little known glories of our bush, mountain, fiord, ami natural -history. Out-of-the-way places are vividly depicted on tonecoloured film. During tho screening thcro will lie an informative chat and story bv Mr Ta.no Faina. Tho matinee commences at 2.30 and tho evening screening at 3 p.m. Seats may bo booked at McMillan’s. NOTES.

Tho annual soiree and concert in connection with tlio Presbyterian Church will be held in the Drill I-lall to-morrow.