CHARGE OF CRUELTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 4

CHARGE OF CRUELTY.

DISMISSED. /. (BY TELEGRAPiT.—- 1-SFECIATj correspondent,^ ' Chrlstchurch, Anril 22. Tho method of : killing a hfirso which was adopted by: a man named M'Canriack, near was ,tno subject , of inquiry at tho Police Court this" morning; • The - charge preferred was that accused had killed a horso in an inhuman, manner. , ; .., i ; A witness, said: that on "April 1 ho saw some men looking at what defondant was doing. Knowing that defendant was associated, with horses, witness thought that ho was breaking in a, horso. Tho . horso was on tho ground. . On , making closer investigations, witness / saw M'Cormiiek strike tho horse on tho head with-an axe. Tho horse tried to riso, but could not do so, and later defendant appeared to be jagging its throat .with a knifo. Witness thought things were getting " a'bit; rough," and tho Inspector was informed as tho result of. his representations. ■ Tho Inspector for tho Society for tho Prevention of Cruolty to Animals said that, , as tho result of a telophono messago, ho visited M'Cormack's plaoo at .St. Martin's', nnd saw the horse .lying on its sido dead. Tho horse had not' been properly hit on the head to effectually'stun-it. The. defondant stated that lie was an.bxperionce'd'man'with horses, and said that- tho horso was suft'ering from paralysis, and he was forced to kill it. Ho hit. it onco with tho axe. stunned it, and 'then but its throat; "and' it died within ton minutes. When ho returned tho second fcimo to' it it was to take off tho cover. Ho was an: expert butcher in regard to theso matters, and killed tho horso humanely. i A veterinary surgeon said that it was a Humalio way to kill a horse. Though ho proforrcd to shoot horses, ho had scon numbers of horses lolled in a similar manner to that adopted by defendant, and it was not painful if it was dono properly, .: Tho Bouch dismissed tho oaso.