ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A HORSE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1993, 25 February 1914, Page 8

ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A HORSE.

RECENT CASE IN MAGISTRATE'S ' , . COURT. At the meeting yesterday of the com-' mitt<® of tIM Wellington Society for iho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Inspector Seed referred to certain proceedings which word taken befop l Alt. F \\ , Burton-, S.M., in.the Magistrate's Court, ftgainst J. Zortejtj- {if Berl-iainpore, Oft a. charge of ill-treating a horse by working the same when it was in an unfit state. The ease, reported Ml'.. Seed, Was parti' ally heard on February % when, in ad* ditioit- to the irisix'ci.or's ovideneft., that of two hilhwjuahliwi veterinary surgeons (both of whom were present -find examined cm oath) was recorded. The further hearing \yas resumed on Folmi-: ary 0 and completed on February 12, ■ when judgment was reserved. Qu February 13 tlio Magistrate' {Mr. Burton, S.M.) delivered' liis judgment, als-miss-iiig tlio case, but refusing to allojv costs to. tho defendant, st&iiiig (as reported in the local Press at tjro ho considered tlio caw not sufficiently strong to satisfy ki'ui that there Imd liec-si guilty knowledge oil the part of defeiid-aiit. "As y<mr society's msjiector in this special report," Jlr. Seed continued, "I shall not- presume to critieisa or comment, upon the Magistrate's decision, but I consider it i-a only.right.and just —to both myself and the society—to place cu' record the. following facts, which I think will fully justify' my action'' in taking kga-i tiroceedmgs. ■' Not only did. 1 give vvidoneo .proving that in iny. judgment the horso was quite unfit to work, that it w=as cMielty/fc continue so doing, and that I had warned the defendant to that effect .is far back as Decernbor 3i) (notwithstanding which defendant continued to work the horse), but on December 22, at tfly request, the liorsc was examined by. Mr. Donald Harry Bait, V'.S., of. Paln.ierston North, who, as already mentionc-d,, was called -As a witness when the case ..was before tlio Court, on February G, and who then stated in,his evidence t'li'at Inspector Seai| called njxjii. defendant' (who was driving the horso at the titnc) .to stop, and oil examination found that the horso was suffering from badly strained tendons. Mr. Rait in his evidence also stated.that defendant was told both by Inspector Seed am] himself that it was Wong to work a ihorso iii such a condition. When 1 found that, uotwjT".sfertidnig tho Earnings' . givon liptli fcjr myself. and jf r> Rait, V.S., defendant continued fo work the. horso, and was working it two days- subsequently, on December 2!., I theit had it. further examined by/Mr. W: C. Quinneil, V.S., of- this city, tflrt stated that 'he horso was suffering from acute .inflammation, and -was quite unfit; to work. Mr. Q.tiinriell also gave evidence in Court to tliat ■effect. I append herewith copies o.f. file certificates received from both these veterinary surgeons., and also attach the originals. . I haw specially, reported on J this case, and briefly placed before you tho foregoing facts,_ in order that you may ino.ro fully realise the difficulties I esporieiico in the carrying oirt .o.f my duties iii endeavouring' to suppress cruelty.''' ' !