THE MONKEY AND THE CIGARETTE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2269, 1 October 1914, Page 3

THE MONKEY AND THE CIGARETTE

ALLEGED CRUELTY AT NEWTOWJS j ZOO. [An unusual charge, of cruelly illtreating a monkey at the Newtown Zoo, was preferred against George Bevan, an Otaki farmer. Accused, who pleadeo not guilty, was represented by Mr. 11, B. Williams. Mr. E. 51. Becchey appeared for the City Council- Mr. W. G. liiddell, S.M., was on tho bench/ :: Tlio Rev. John Crowes gave evidence to tho effect that on Tuesday, September 8 ; ho had seen tho accused, give one ot the caged .monkeys alighted'.cigarette. The animal had had enougi souse, however, not to. accept i-ho gift, Thereupon accused had held out a burning match to the animal. ThiS' time the monkey took was offered; him, and'put it out with his fingers, Mr. Williams inquired if tho animal had been burnt by the match. Tho witness replied that he could noi say whether the monkey had been burnt severely or not v , Counsel: (Did you examine the monkey's hand to see if it were burut? Witness: I don't go! up to tlie Zoc to'-'examine monkey's hands. I swc.ai that the animal took a lighted match in his hand, und then dropped it sud'lenlv During the course of further examination witness admitted thbt he had remarked that ho .would-,'arrest Bevan himself rather than allow him to get away. John Langridge, curator of the Zoo, said that accused had admitted tn him that he was very sorry for what ho had dono Witness continued thai ho had not witnessed tho handing of thp match to tho monkey. He had, however, looked at the animal's hand and had found .110 injury there. Counsel for the defence submitted that tho charge should never have been brought. Bevan was a respectable settler and tho father of a family. Mr. Williams, suggested that Mr. ' Crewee was obsossedby one idea—the Zoo, and did;not see things in their right proportion | Tho Magistrate interrupted Mr. Williams in the course of his remarks, saying that he did not desire u> hear him further. His Worship was satisfied that thero was not sufficient evidence to convict, defendant, whose >>ct, a foolish one} was'ndt a sufficient one'to base a charge of this desscription. The case , would be distnhsrd.