CRUELTY TO A HORSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12749, 19 September 1919, Page 8

CRUELTY TO A HORSE.

CARRIER CONVICTED. " This man is very cruel and very hard on his animals,” said David Whyte, inspector for the Society for the _ Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, during the hearing of a case against Ernest Bollinger, a carrier, at the* Magistrate’s Court, to-day, before Mr P- L. Rollings, 3.M. Ballinger was charged with ill-treat-mg a horse hy working it while it was suffering from a sore on the shoulder. Mr Hunter, who appeared for the society, said that the inspector, on September 5, found the defendant with his horse yoked to his van, although it had a raw flesh wound on its shoulder. There was a piece of dirty canvas under the fjollar which was irritating the wound. Tho horse was also slightly Hroe, suffering from a swollen pastern joint. Ballinger, when spoken to by the inspector, said he had done his best for the horse, and asked for another chance. Mr Hunter asked for a substantial penalty, as the defendant had been repeatedly warned with regard to his horses, and numerous complaints had been received about his treatment of them.. The defendant interjected that when he was warned about another of his horses he had had it destroyed at once. He said ho had tried to do his best, and had only worked the horse because his other one had- broken down. David Whyte, the society's inspector, said that defendant had been warned previously for working a horse suffering from corns; also for working a liovse suffering from a sore, fully five inches long, on its shoulder. On this occasion he had begged for another chance, and had pleaded so hard that no action had been taken against him. The horse, which had been in excellent condition when the defendant bought it, had had to be dsstroyed. The witness stated that in February of this year he saw defendant flogging a horse -which was drawing a load of furniture. On September 17 ho was cautioned about his treatment of his horses, and since the summons for the case before the Court had been issued it had been found necessary to caution defendant again with respect to his treatment of another horse. The defendant alleged that tho inspector had told him that if he pleaded guilty he would "make it light for him.” He had told him, he said, not to bother about getting a lawyer. He pleaded guilty to ill-treating the horse in question, but wished to have an opportunity of defending the other accusations which had been made against him. The Magistrate pointed out that these charges were nob the subject of inquiry by the Court He added that lie had no sympathy whatever with the defendant. A fino of £5, and costs amounting io 1/s, was imposed, the default being fixed at one month’s imprisonment.