CRUELTY TO HORSES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 3

CRUELTY TO HORSES.

INSUFFICIENT FOOD. This morning at the Magistrate's Court Henry Box was charged before Messrs T. Gapes and J. Forrester, Justices of the. Peace, with having cruelly ill-treated six horses by neglecting to give them sufficient and proper food. Mr Cassidy appeared for Box, and Mr Kitchingham appeared for the informant, Inspector W. H. Zou'ch, of tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Inspector Zouch gave evidence, and fls.id that tho six houses had been in a disgraceful condition through want or feed, and that when he visited Box's fitablos there was no food, and in the boxes there were the remains of gum leaves. , Mr T. C. Field said that the horses were literally skin and bone, a.nd some of them had been nibbling at the manure heap. Mr R. O. Duncan said that the horses had beon in a disgraceful condition, and ehould have been 6hot. They showed signs of starvation, and he saw one nibbling at tho manure heap. In defence. Henry Box stated that the horses had been working in a coach on the Belfast Road, which was recognised as a horse-killer. Five horses had died on that road in a week. The horses had been fed on grass cut from lawns, which would account for the presence of gum leaves. Andrew BrookriiaiXj GeoTge Home and Henry Box, jnn., all gave evidence to the effect that the horses had been properly and sufficiently fed. The Bench, in giving judgment, said that without doubt the horses had been badly fed. Box was fined 40s and costs, a small fine, but the costs would bo hen Ty. An application from Mr Kitchingharii for an. order for the destruction of , the horses was refused.