“A BAD PRACTICE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17352, 17 May 1924, Page 2

“A BAD PRACTICE.”

CHARGES OF ILLTREATMENT. In the Juvenile Court this morning a youth, fifteen years of age, was charged before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., with having cruelly ill-treated a brown mare and a gelding by keeping them in a section at Addington and not proyiding them with sufficient food, and further with having ridden a horse whilst it was suffering from ulcerated sores. He pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own defence. David White, Inspector for the Society of Cruelty to Animals, gave evidence as to the emaciated condition of the two horses and this was corroborated by James M’Cullough, owner of the section which was leased to defendant and on which the horses ivere grazed. Defendant in evidence said that he had sold the mare previously to a youth named Gordon Greig. The latter confirmed this statement. Robert John Lee. occupier of the house adjoining the section, said be had heard the previous witnesses discussing the sale of the horse. He said that the mare wus in a bad way and he had given her a hot bran niasli. The Magistrate said there was an insinuation by defendant that the inspector had him set. but apart from that tiieie was the evidence of Mr M’Cullough, which tv as quite impartial. Defendant did not appear to realise when a horse should be ridden and when it should not. It was quite clear that •any man who had anything to do with horses had a love lor the animals, but it was just the opposite with defendant, whose composition lie did not understand.

In answer to the Magistrate defendant. said lie earned jL2 <*, week on an average, clear of board and lodgings. He made money by buying old horses, sometimes for a pound and selling them for, say, £2 10s. In giving judgment, the Magistrate ! said he did not believe, one witness ! for the defence, at least, and to say ■ he had grave doubts about the other j two was putting it mildly. However, i he would dismiss the cuarge in respect t© the mare, at the same time telling the inspector that he could lay a fresh information on this charge against Greig. “ When defendant was before the Court earlier in the year,’’ said Mr Widdowson, “ I intimated that he should not lmvo anything to do with horses, but as it was his.living he was merely fined. On the first charge you are now fined £5 and costs and on that of ill-treating a horse by riding it when it was not in a fit condition you are ! convicted and ordered to come up for j sentence when called upon within a per- j loci oi two years, a condition being that you are not to own a horse during that I time. If your work makes it neces- j sarv for you to rid© or drive a horse, you will have to use your employer’s. This will al*o prevent you from indulging in the bad practice of buying and selling old horses.”