CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 1

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

• MR G. LAURENSON'S BILL. COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS. [From Our. Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 6. In the House of Representatives this evening Mr G. Laurenson moved the - second reading of his Prevention of ■ Cruelty to Animals .bill. The Bill is j a comprehensive measure, covering all , forms ot cruelty to animals. Cruelty ; is denned as any act causing unneces- > sary surrermg to animals and the lni tentional infliction upon any animal of i pain that, in its circumstances, is un- . desirable or wanton or malicious. The , .bill includes, among other tilings, flogging with, unnecessary violence or severity, overworsmg any animal, using any animal when it cannot be used without surfering, carrying any animal by land or water in such a manner as to- cause it suifering- which might be avoided, tailing to supply any animal wich a suxacient quantity or food or water, or killing any animal in an unnecessarily painful manner, but does not include acts usually and reasonably done with respect to animals, such ' as ear-inaridng, gelding or speying domes tic animals, oranding or denorning calves, hunting, trapping or poisoning wild animals, provided that thepersbn setting the trap Avhich does not mji the animal outright removes the animal from tho trap within, a reasonable time, or, using poison, uses a poi- ] son which will speedily destroy life if 3 it be reasonably practicable to use such a poison. Amongst the acts causing unnecessary suffering to animals are specified the following: — Slaughtering i domestic animals for food without pre- % viously stunning, pigeon-shooting from' traps, coursing in enclosures of hares ! and rabbits, burning horses' • mouths for lampas, docking horses' tails, using the overhead check-rein, and chaining boundary dogs. The Bill also provides '. for the enforcement of its provisions in a drastic manner. Mr Laurenson. sought to have the Bill referred direct to the Stock Com- , mittee, Dut could not secure the unanimous consent of the House, he there-: fore moved the second reading. Mr G. Witfcy said that the Jbill needed most extensive amendment. If a domestic fowl could not be killed withr out being first stunned, then a similar provison should apply to deer and trout. Mr Hogg said that some such measure as was proposed was certainly , needed. A very large amount of unnecessary suffering was caused to animals, more particularly by * so-called sportsmen. Several . members spoke, expressing^ approval of the principles underlying i the Bill, but suggesting amendments. • Mr Laurenson, in reply, said the Bill had been badly drafted, but such a ■ measure was greatly needed. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Joint Stock Committee.