S.P.C.A.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1975, 4 February 1914, Page 8

S.P.C.A.

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING. ■ i MORE FUNDS NEEDED. ' The twentieth annual meeting of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Lambton Quay, last :night. Tho president, Mr. 11. H. Webb, was in the chair, and there was an attendance of about twenty. The annual report and balance-sheet, already published, were read. Moving their adoption the president said tho past year had been one of considerable advance m the activities of tho society. As' they depended entirely for support on voluntary contributions, they had not been able to do as much as they would have desired. They hoped to inaugurate lectures in the Town Hall in the near future, to further the work of the society. Among their members and 'friends there must be many, he felt, who could assist in holding concerts, etc., for the purpose of raising funds. • ■ '

Investment Fund Needed. If they could raise two or three thou'sand pounds for investment, it would safeguard themwith regard to officers' salaries. This idea had not,to be confused with the ordinary efforts, and if tho ftind was established it would have to be done without interfering with the general contributions. Their indefatigable inspector (Mr; F. Seed), whoso life was devoted to tho saving of animals from suffering, could not bo expected to carry on the work for many years more, and'when he came to be replaced they would hayo difficulty in finding one who would give- his services for such small remuneration as was now given. Thore was need for an assistant inspector, as "the society's operations extended from Shannon, on the one hand, to Featherston on tho other. The'society had sustained a loss in the death cf Dr. M'Arthur, who had alwnys had great sympathy in their work. They had the police on their side, and to them tendered thanks. The generous gift of £10 from Mrs. Atkins was rilso worthy of thanks. Iu seconding the proposal Mr. J. Ilott said there could bo no two opinions _ as to the necessity for an assistant inspector. Mr. Seed, who had been with them for 15 years,, had probably been.the mainstay of the society, and should be given assistance in the largo field he had to cover. Ho hoped Mr. Seed would be long spared to render them his valuable services. (Applause.)

Election of Officers. The report and balance-sheet were adopted, and the election of officers took place as follows:—Patron (subject to his •acceptance), His Excellency the Governor (Lord Liverpool); president, Mr. V. R. Meredith; vice-presi-dents, Sir Robert Stout, His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken, J. Ilott.J.' S. Jameson, W. Watson (all re-electod), and R. H. Webb /last year's president); committee, Mesdames M. A. Williams, Wakdlin, A. E. Kernot, C. Christie, A. E. Boyes, C. H. Seville, Miss E. Richardson, the Rev. J. R. Glasson, Mr. J. Lewis (re-elected); hon. solicitors, the Minister of Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdman), Messrs. A. R. Atkinson, V. R. .Meredith,. R. H. Webb, R. B. Williams, and T. Young (re-elected) ; hon. ,auditor, Mr. C. D. Morpeth (reelected). Mr. Meredith thanked the 'society for electing, him' president. Comment-' ing on the report, he_ said that., it was not tho aim or the society, to: prosecute, but rather, to prevent cruelty. However, there were a number of people ..who Could only bo got at through their pockots, and .no; sympathy-should be shown to those people.

Overloading Still Prevalent. Mr. Seed then addressed the meeting on the subject of overloading, which, he said, was still very prevalent in Wellington. He had tried to get assistance from the City Council in this matter, but without,much success. He got seventeen specific cases of coal overloading,' and brought theso under tho notice of the council, who decided to take action in four cases under the City By-laws. The council subsequently withdrew these cases, but he decided to take them under another provision, and succeeded in getting fines imposed in each instance. Overloading also took place to a great extent in tho cartago of sand. He had the power, and propoped to put these carts over the weighbridge.. He asked the assistance of members to suppress this overloading, which was going on every day in the streets of Wellington. Mr. Seed had a few remarks to make on stray dogs. ' The system of taking them off tho streets was very bad. He recently saw twenty-threo stray dogs in the streets, and that day saw two, one covered with disease. He had no , power to take tho dogs of the street. This rested with the City Council, but, tho man appointed needed a proper conveyance to take the dogs away. Of course, proceeded Mr. Seed, he was looking at it from a humanitarian point of view, while the City Council looked at it from a business point of view. He thanked the public for tho many cases of cruelty they had brought under his notice, and in respect said the public seemed to bo taking much more interest in the work of the society. Mr. W, C. Quinnell, M.R.C.V.S., gave a short address on "Injuries to Animals, and their Treatment,'' dealing specially with lameness in horses. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Quinnell for his lecture, and it was decided'that the chairman should endeavour to have the address published.